Favourite Mark Williams won three of the opening four frames of his Embassy World Championship final with comeback king Ken Doherty at the Crucible Theatre.

Ken Doherty produced one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the Embassy World Championship to overcome Paul Hunter 17-16 and reach his third final after an afternoon of high drama at The Crucible Theatre.

Ronnie O’Sullivan and Matthew Stevens, two of the leading contenders for the Embassy World Championship, put themselves on course to reach the second round when the tournament began in Sheffield today.

John Parrott and Alan McManus, with only one Embassy World Championship first-round exit between them in 27 previous Crucible visits, both crashed out at the opening hurdle today.

Embassy World Championship, The Crucible, Sheffield

Embassy World Championship, Sheffield

Embassy World Championship, Sheffield

Today’s order of play in the Embassy World Championship at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield (prefix denotes seeding).

Ronnie O’Sullivan is tipping one of snooker’s young guns to lift the Embassy World Championship trophy in Sheffield - if he cannot do so himself.

James Wattana was pleased with his tenacious fightback against Peter Ebdon at The Crucible, even though it did not prove enough to claim victory.

Parrott, at 36 the oldest man in the competition, had much the better of things after the interval against qualifier Judge and won the next three frames to reduce his deficit to 4-3.

Ronnie O’Sullivan produced a typical rapid-fire performance to race into the second round of the Embassy World Championship in Sheffield today.

Peter Ebdon withstood a tenacious fightback from James Wattana to reach the second round of the World Championship in Sheffield today.

In-form Peter Ebdon was closing in on a second-round place at the Embassy World Championship in Sheffield today.

Doherty, the only man apart from Ebdon to have tasted success in two ranking events this campaign, is always a tough man to beat in this event and demonstrated his well-being with a break of 101.

Ken Doherty is five frames up in the Embassy World Championship. He leads Nick Dyson by five frames to one.

Ken Doherty has increased his lead against Nick Dyson in the Embassy World Championships.

A confident start by Ken Doherty has seen him take the first two frames against England's Nick Dyson in the first round of the World Embassy snooker Championship at the Crucible.

Mark Williams believes that a lot of top players could struggle at The Crucible this year if the match tables do not improve.

Mark Williams is heading home to Wales for a couple of days practice following his 10-4 win over Billy Snaddon in the first round of the Embassy World Championship in Sheffield

Snooker pundit John Virgo claims the sport's civil war between governing body the World Snooker Association and 110 Sport has wrecked the sport's backstage camaraderie.

World number one and reigning Embassy world champion Mark Williams insists Ronnie O’Sullivan is the red-hot favourite to win the 2002 tournament and wreck his back-to-back title dreams.

Dubliner Michael Judge has said he is thrilled to be making his Crucible debut.