Ken Doherty highlights the 'main Ronnie O'Sullivan question' ahead of World Championship

Ken Doherty would be extremely "disappointed" if superstar pulled out of the at the eleventh hour. The Rocket, 49, will find out his first-round fate during Thursday morning's live draw with the snooker circus rolling into Sheffield on Saturday for the opening day. Mercurial star O'Sullivan has never missed the Crucible showpiece during his record-setting career and has been a mainstay at the event since way back in 1993.

The world No.5 will be gunning for a record eighth world title if he plays in Sheffield. But the Rocket, who is due to kick off his title tilt on Tuesday, has not played competitively since his cue-snapping episode where he "lost the plot" in January due to "stage fright" fears. World Snooker Tour bosses would face a logistical headache with a bye for the qualifier who drew O'Sullivan if he were to withdraw.

"It would be really disappointing if Ronnie pulled out at this late stage," admitted 1997 world champion Doherty. "Obviously with everything that would happen with the draw it would be disappointing to see that.

"You'll have fans who have bought tickets to see him play and they would be disappointed. If he was going to pull out he probably should have pulled out before draw [for the qualifiers] was made.

"It's his anxiety I suppose which is the main question. Has he got the better of his anxiety? Can he play with the anxiety and the pressures? The Crucible is where that pressure is at its highest, especially for Ronnie.

"That Crucible Theatre does something to players which no other place does. That's why it's so special. I think he will be able to cope with it. He's done that so well over the years.

"You know what Ronnie's like, he wants to keep everybody on their toes. He'll leave it to the last minute, there's no doubt about that. That's what he does."

O'Sullivan has been the game's biggest star since he turned professional in 1992. But he has been plagued by his pursuit of perfection on the baize, which was documented in his acclaimed biopic The Edge of Everything where he levelled Stephen Hendry's haul of seven crucible crowns in 2022.

And Doherty, who knows the Rocket better than most having practiced with him as a kid, added: "I think he'll turn up. I hope he does.

"I think the tournament would lose a little bit of if he wasn't there. There are still great places in the tournament who have been playing great snooker, don't get me wrong.

"It will still be a great tournament if he plays or not. But with him in it, it will add that extra coat of magic on the tournament. Ronnie brings something to the tournament. He brings that electricity and that charisma to the tournament.

"He brings more attention to the tournament. Without him, he'll be missed. There will still be great players to carry on that mantle whether he plays or not. But we all want to see him back playing."