Frame secure, and this looks like a big’un to start from Judd Trump. Century number 980 of his career goes awry on the green but an opening 110 is an excellent start.

Kapow! Trump opens up the pack with a thunderous pot of the blue. A friendly enough spread - this should be 1-0 from here.

A competent and composed start from Judd Trump, plotting his way around the bottom of the table to pick off the smattering of loose reds. He runs slightly out of position entering the twenties, but a red and pink to the middle take him onwards.

A slightly loose shot from Judd Trump leaves the cue ball not quite hidden behind the yellow, and a pottable red on offer if Jak Jones can get past. Can he? It would appear not, Jones taking on a tougher pot and missing.

Trump rifles in the opener.

Rob Walker does the honours, welcoming our four morning combatants and their cues to the Crucible. Remember that these encounters will be best of 25 frames, contested over three sessions today and tomorrow.

We’ll be focussing on Judd Trump vs Jak Jones. Here we go!

Jak Jones has won just one of five previous meetings with Judd Trump, but the Welshman seems to like Sheffield - he was a World Championship quarter-finalist on debut last year and he has progressed to the same stage this to make just his fourth appearance in the last eight of a ranking event. Can he challenge Trump to derail the Englishman’s title tilt?

It’s quarter-final time at the Crucible, just eight players left as the World Championship hots up. Judd Trump, Jak Jones, Stephen Maguire and David Gilbert will soon be out in the arena to get things going.

Barry Hearn has warned Sheffield City Council its days of staging the World Snooker Championship are numbered unless the Crucible is ripped down and replaced with a bigger capacity venue.

Hearn, the former World Snooker chairman and president of Matchroom, says there is no room for sentiment when the venue’s current deal expires in 2027 – its 50th anniversary of staging the Championships – adding: “It’s all about the money.”

Hearn told the BBC: “I am doing absolutely everything I can to stay in Sheffield and it takes two to tango – I’ll stay here while we’re wanted, and I think we’re wanted.

“But they’ve got to be realistic. We’ve said for the last few years we need a new venue that seats 2,500 to 3,000 people.

“I’m looking for Sheffield to come to the party and if they do, we’re staying. If they don’t, they’re really saying that we don’t want to, so it’s not really my call.”

Judd Trump cruised into the quarter-finals of the World Championship with a 13-7 win over Tom Ford at the Crucible, before revealing he he rejected offers to join a rival snooker tour.

Trump said he has no interest in the prospective LIV-style breakaway, which is understood to emanate from the Far East and requires a commitment to play in eight regular events plus a grand final in exchange for a six-figure sign-on fee.

“A few people have tried to contact me and I just couldn’t be bothered,” said Trump. “If they try to contact me or my brother I just tell them to go away. I’m very happy where I am, with the tournaments I play in.

“I need something with history and heritage. I need something to play for. I don’t think I would really get out of bed for an exhibition series.”

Mark Allen, meanwhile, said he “only had himself to blame” after his defeat to John Higgins. He told the BBC of the late-night thriller: “It had a bit of everything in there, some good stuff, some not so good.

“I had more than enough chances to win it and credit to John, he does what John does and clears up in the deciding frame.

“I’ve only myself to blame. I had plenty of chances and just didn’t take them.”

On his opponent’s chances of winning the tournament, Allen said: “He’s one of the good guys on tour, I’ve said that for a long, long time. He’s ultra competitive. He wants to win and obviously wants to get back into the top 16.

“But there’s bigger and better things ahead for John Higgins if he believes himself because he’s one of the few who can go on and win this tournament. There’s only a couple I believe who can win it and he’s one of them.”