Mark Joyce lands plum draw against defending champ Ronnie O'Sullivan for World Championship debut at The Crucible
Mark Joyce's World Championships debut at The Crucible this weekend has been marked with a plum draw against defending champion and all-time great Ronnie O'Sullivan.
The Walsall potter, world No.46, is top of the billing and will break off this year's showcase tournament in Sheffield with the opening match against world No.2 and six-times champ O'Sullivan at 10am on Saturday.
Joyce qualified for The Crucible for the first time in his 15-year professional career this week by edging Brazil's Igor Figueiredo in the final qualifying round.
Former China Open winner Joyce, 37, crafted his talent at Masters Snooker Club in Walsall and competed in the West Midlands League for Hotshots.
But the round one best of 19 frames clash is as tough a test as they come, with Wordsley-born megastar O'Sullivan out to equal Stephen Hendry's modern-day record of seven Crucible crowns.
The showdown will be televised live on BBC 2 on Saturday morning and played to a conclusion that day. The winner faces Anthony McGill or Ricky Walden in round two.
Elsewhere in the draw in-form world No.1 Judd Trump takes on Liam Highfield, UK Champion Neil Robertson tackles China's Liang Wenbo and Mark Selby faces Kurt Maflin of Norway.
