Snooker: Allen begins World Championship bid this weekend

Mark Allen will get his World Snooker Championship bid underway against China's Fan Zhengyi this weekend.

The Antrim man - who goes into the tournament as the number eight seed - will be into first round action at the Crucible in Sheffield on Sunday.

Elsewhere, seven-time champion Ronnie O'Sullivan has been drawn to face Ali Carter. The 49-year-old, who is seeded fifth, defeated Carter in the 2008 and 2012 finals at the Crucible.

O'Sullivan has not played competitively since snapping his cue after withdrawing from the Championship League in January.

He pulled out of five of the last six World Snooker Tour events on medical grounds and has yet to confirm if he will play in this year's tournament.

Kyren Wilson will begin his title defence against Lei Peifan when action starts on Saturday morning, while world number one Judd Trump - the 2019 winner - has been paired with Zhou Yuelong.

Four-time champion Mark Selby is set to face fellow Leicester native Ben Woollaston.