View source for 2018 World Snooker Championship

{{short description|Professional snooker ranking tournament, April–May 2018}}
{{featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox individual snooker tournament
| tournament_name   = 2018 [[Betfred]] [[World Snooker Championship]]
| logo              = World Snooker Championship 2015 Logo.png
| alt               = World Snooker Championship logo
| dates             = {{Start and end dates|2018|04|21|2018|05|7|df=y}}
| venue             = [[Crucible Theatre]]
| location          = [[Sheffield]]
| country           = England
| organisation      = [[World Snooker]]
| format            = [[List of snooker ranking tournaments|Ranking event]]
| Total prize fund  = £1,968,000
| winners_share     = £425,000
| highest_break     = {{flagathlete|[[John Higgins]]|SCO}} (146)
| winner            = {{flagathlete|[[Mark Williams (snooker player)|Mark Williams]]|WAL}} 
| runner_up         = {{flagicon|SCO}} [[John Higgins]]
| score             = 18–16
| previous          = [[2017 World Snooker Championship|2017]]
| next              = [[2019 World Snooker Championship|2019]]
}}
The '''2018 World Snooker Championship''' (officially the '''2018 Betfred World Snooker Championship''') was a professional [[snooker]] tournament held from 21&nbsp;April to 7&nbsp;May 2018 at the [[Crucible Theatre]] in [[Sheffield]], England. Hosted by the [[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]], it was the 20th and final [[Snooker world rankings|ranking event]] of the [[2017–18 snooker season]] and the 42nd consecutive time the [[World Snooker Championship]] had been held at the venue. The tournament was broadcast by [[BBC Sport]] and [[Eurosport]] in Europe, and sponsored by betting company [[Betfred]].

Welsh left-hander [[Mark Williams (snooker player)|Mark Williams]] won his third world championship and 21st ranking title, defeating Scottish professional [[John Higgins]] 18–16 in the final. Williams' victory came 15 years after his second world title in [[2003 World Snooker Championship|2003]]; before the start of the season, he had not won a ranking event in the previous six years. In winning the event, Williams received the highest prize money awarded for a snooker event, £425,000 of a total pool of £1,968,000. Aged 43, he was the third oldest winner at the crucible after [[Ronnie O'Sullivan]] who was 44 when he won the [[2020 World Snooker Championship]] and [[Ray Reardon]] who was 45 when he won the title in [[1978 World Snooker Championship|1978]]. Defending and three-time world champion [[Mark Selby]] had won the world title for the previous two years, but lost in the first round 4–10 to [[Joe Perry (snooker player)|Joe Perry]].

The highest {{cuegloss|break}} of the championship was scored by Higgins, who made a break of 146 in frame 13 of his second round win over [[Jack Lisowski]]. However, in qualifying for the event, [[Liang Wenbo]] scored a [[maximum break|maximum break of 147]].
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==Background ==
The [[World Snooker Championship]] is an annual [[cue sport]] tournament and is the official world championship of the game of [[snooker]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Snooker championship |newspaper=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer |date=11 May 1927 |access-date=12 March 2019 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19270511/425/0020 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Snooker was founded in the late 19th century by [[British Army]] soldiers stationed in India.<ref name=heritage2008>{{cite web |url=http://www.snookerheritage.co.uk/normans-articles/days-of-old/origins-of-snooker/ |title=Origins of Snooker |first=Peter |last=Clare |date=2008 |work=Snooker Heritage |access-date=8 February 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170103150005/http://snookerheritage.co.uk/normans-articles/days-of-old/origins-of-snooker/ |archive-date=3 January 2017 }}</ref> The sport originated by players from the United Kingdom, and later players from Europe and the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]]. In more modern times, the sport has transferred to being played worldwide, specifically in Asia, such as in China, Thailand and Hong Kong.<ref name="worl_TheR">{{Cite web |title=The Rise of China – World Snooker |website=worldsnooker.com |date=26 February 2018 |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |access-date=13 March 2019 |url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/the-rise-of-china/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180419145915/http://www.worldsnooker.com/the-rise-of-china/ |archive-date=19 April 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> The world championship was the final event of the 2017/18 snooker calendar, with the winner of the event being crowned as the professional world champion of the sport.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Snooker calendar 2017/18 |website=worldsnooker.com |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |access-date=9 July 2019 |url= http://www.worldsnooker.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Calendar-2017-18-v19.pdf }}</ref>

The world championship sees 32 professional players compete in one-on-one snooker matches in a [[single elimination]] format, each played over several {{cuegloss|frames}}. The 32 players for the event are selected through a mix of the world snooker rankings and a pre-tournament qualification round.<ref name="field_set" /><ref name="format" /> The first world championship in [[1927 World Snooker Championship|1927]], held in [[Camkin's Hall]], Birmingham, England, was won by [[Joe Davis]].<ref name="cajt.pwp.bluyonder.co.uk">{{cite web |last=Turner |first=Chris |title=World Professional Championship |url=http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/world.html |work=cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk |publisher=Chris Turner's Snooker Archive |access-date=9 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724180133/http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/world.html |archive-date=24 July 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=1927 World Professional Championship |url=http://www.globalsnookercentre.co.uk/files/Results/27world.htm |work=globalsnookercentre.co.uk |publisher=Global Snooker Centre |access-date=29 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041010103752/http://www.globalsnookercentre.co.uk/files/Results/27world.htm |archive-date=10 October 2004}}</ref> Since 1977, the event has been held in the [[Crucible Theatre]] in Sheffield.<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1392311|desc=The Crucible Theatre|access-date=3 December 2013}}</ref>

{{As of|2022}}, [[Stephen Hendry]] and  [[Ronnie O’Sullivan]] are the event's most successful participants in the modern era, having both won the championship seven times.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wpbsa.com/player/stephen-hendry/ |title=Stephen Hendry |work=WPBSA |access-date=20 July 2021}}</ref><ref name="BBC O'Sullivan 6th">{{Cite web |title=World Snooker Championship 2020: Ronnie O'Sullivan wins sixth world title |last=Hafez |first=Shamoon |work=BBC Sport |date=16 August 2020 |access-date=16 August 2020 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/53795792 |archive-date=19 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200819113004/https://www.bbc.com/sport/snooker/53795792 |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[2017 World Snooker Championship|previous year's championship]] had been won by England's [[Mark Selby]], who won the event defeating Scotland's [[John Higgins]] in the final 18–15. This was Selby's third championship, having won previously in 2014 and 2016.<ref name="bbc._Mark">{{Cite web |title=Mark Selby beats John Higgins to retain his World Championship title |author=Hafez, Shamoon |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=1 May 2017 |access-date=13 March 2019 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/39773552 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170501170926/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/39773552 |archive-date=1 May 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> The champion of the 2018 event would win prize money of [[pound sterling|£]]425,000, from a total pool of £1,968,000.<ref name=Prize />

=== Format ===
[[File:Sheffield Crucible theatre.png|right|thumb|The main draw of the 2018 tournament was played at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.|alt=The Cruicible Theatre in Sheffield.]]
The 2018 World Snooker Championship was held between 21 April and 7 May 2018 in [[Sheffield]], England. The tournament was the last of twenty rankings events in the [[Snooker season 2017/2018|2017/2018 season]] on the [[World Snooker Tour]]. It featured a 32-player main draw that was played at the Crucible Theatre, as well as a 128-player qualifying draw which took place at the [[English Institute of Sport]] from 11 to 18 April 2018, finishing three days prior to the start of the main draw. This was the 42nd consecutive year the tournament was held at the Crucible, and the 50th consecutive year the championship was contested through the modern knockout format.<ref name="field_set" /><ref name="format" />

The top 16 players in the latest [[Snooker world rankings 2017/2018|world rankings]] automatically qualified for the main draw as [[seed (sports)|seeded]] players.{{efn|In the event that the defending champion was ranked outside of the top 16, they would have replaced the player ranked world number 16 as an automatic qualifier.<ref name="field_set" />}} Defending champion Mark Selby was automatically seeded 1st overall. The remaining fifteen seeds were allocated based on the latest world rankings (revision 10), which were released following the [[2018 China Open (snooker)|China Open]], the penultimate event of the season. With Selby ranked as the world number 1 entering the event, every player's seed therefore corresponded to their respective world ranking. Matches in the first round of the main draw were played as best of 19 frames. The number of frames needed to win a match increased with each successive round, leading up to the final match which was played as best of 35 frames.<ref name="field_set" /><ref name="format" />

All 16 non-seeded spots in the main draw were filled with players from the qualifying rounds. The qualifying draw consisted of 128 players, including 113 of the remaining 115 players on the World Snooker Tour, as well as fifteen wildcard places allotted to non-tour players. These invited players included the [[Women's World Snooker Championship|women's world champion]], the [[EBSA European Under-18 Snooker Championships|European junior champion]], and all four semi-finalists at the [[WSF Championship|amateur championship]]. As with the main draw, half of the participants in the qualifying draw were seeded players. Every player ranked from 17th to 80th was allocated one of 64 seeds in order of their ranking, while all of the other participants were placed randomly into the draw. In order to reach the main draw at the Crucible, players needed to win three best of 19 frame matches.<ref name="field_set" />

=== Participant summary ===
Eight [[List of World Snooker Championship winners|former world champions]] participated in the main tournament: [[Ronnie O'Sullivan]] (five titles: 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013), John Higgins (four titles: 1998, 2007, 2009, 2011), Mark Selby (three titles and two-time defending champion: 2014, 2016, 2017), [[Mark Williams (snooker player)|Mark Williams]] (two titles: 2000 and 2003), [[Shaun Murphy]] (one title: 2005), [[Graeme Dott]] (one title: 2006), [[Neil Robertson]] (one title: 2010), and [[Stuart Bingham]] (one title: 2015).<ref name="field_set" /> This was O'Sullivan's 26th consecutive appearance in the final stages of the World Championship since his debut in 1993, just one short of Stephen Hendry's record of 27 consecutive appearances and four short of [[Steve Davis]]'s record of 30 total appearances. Five other former world championship finalists also competed: [[Matthew Stevens]] (twice: 2000 and 2005), [[Ali Carter]] (twice: 2008 and 2012), [[Judd Trump]] (once: 2011), [[Barry Hawkins]] (once: 2013), and [[Ding Junhui]] (once: 2016).<ref name="field_set" /> The youngest player to participate in the main stage of the tournament was [[Lyu Haotian]] at 20 years of age, while 43-year-old [[Joe Perry (snooker player)|Joe Perry]] was the oldest; both players entered the main draw through qualifying.<ref name="draw" /> [[Marco Fu]] made his return to competition at the World Championship, having missed much of the 2017/2018 season after undergoing surgery to repair [[retina]]l degeneration and [[myodesopsia]] in his left eye.<ref name="MarcovsLyu" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2131783/marco-fu-admits-fears-his-future-snooker-after-laser-surgery-fix |title=Marco Fu admits fears for his future in snooker after laser surgery to fix vision in left eye |work=[[South China Morning Post]] |date=2 February 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180406230544/http://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2131783/marco-fu-admits-fears-his-future-snooker-after-laser-surgery-fix |archive-date=6 April 2018}}</ref>

Three former world champions participated in the qualifying rounds: [[Ken Doherty]] (1997), [[Peter Ebdon]] (2002) and Graeme Dott (2006).<ref name="field_set" /> Of these, only Dott succeeded in qualifying for the main tournament at the Crucible. Also, three former world finalists participated in the qualifying rounds: [[Jimmy White]] (six times: 1984 and 1990–1994), [[Nigel Bond]] (once: 1995) and Matthew Stevens (twice: 2000 and 2005).<ref name="field_set" /> Of these, only Stevens qualified for the main tournament at the Crucible. The youngest participant in qualifying was [[Jackson Page]] at 16 years of age, while 55-year-old Jimmy White was the oldest participant; however, neither player qualified.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Betfred World Championship Qualifiers (2018) – snooker.org |last=Årdalen |first=Hermund |work=snooker.org |access-date=8 May 2018 |url=http://www.snooker.org/res/index.asp?event=604 |language=no |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910215547/http://www.snooker.org/res/index.asp?event=604 |archive-date=10 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Jimmy White Moves One Step Closer to Crucible – SnookerHQ |author=Caufield, David |work=SnookerHQ |date=13 April 2018 |access-date=8 May 2018 |url=https://snookerhq.com/2018/04/13/jimmy-white-moves-one-step-closer-to-crucible/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508105055/https://snookerhq.com/2018/04/13/jimmy-white-moves-one-step-closer-to-crucible/ |archive-date=8 May 2018}}</ref>

=== Prize fund ===
The breakdown of prize money for 2018 is shown below.<ref name=Prize>{{cite web |title=Indicative Prize Money Rankings Schedule 2017/2018 Season |url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Click-Here-For-The-Prize-Money-Schedule.pdf|website=worldsnooker.com |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |date=14 July 2017 |access-date=14 July 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808200854/http://www.worldsnooker.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Click-Here-For-The-Prize-Money-Schedule.pdf |archive-date=8 August 2017}}</ref>

{{Col-begin|width=70%}}
{{Col-break|width=50%}}
* Winner: £425,000
* Runner-up: £180,000
* Semi-finalists: £85,000
* Quarter-finalists: £42,500
* Last 16: £27,500
* Last 32: £18,000
{{Col-break|width=50%}}
* Last 48: £13,500
* Last 80: £9,000
* Televised highest break: £10,000
* Non-televised highest break: £1,000
* '''Total''': £1,968,000<ref>{{cite web |title=Betfred World Championship |url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/tournaments/betfred-world-championship-2017/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170411120201/http://www.worldsnooker.com/tournaments/betfred-world-championship-2017/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 April 2017 |website=worldsnooker.com |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |access-date=4 February 2018}}</ref>
{{Col-end}}
The prize for a {{cuegloss|maximum break}} in the main rounds was boosted to £40,000,<ref name=147b>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/boost-world-147-prizes/ |title=Boost For World 147 Prizes |website=worldsnooker.com |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |date=11 April 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180412001356/http://www.worldsnooker.com/boost-world-147-prizes/ |archive-date=12 April 2018}}</ref>{{efn|The "rolling 147 prize" stood at £5,000 (prize money carried forward to next ranking event if 147 not achieved in main tournament).<ref name=147b/>}} whereas the prize for a 147 in qualifying was £10,000. The latter prize was claimed by Liang Wenbo during his first qualifying round match against Rod Lawler.<ref name=qualibreak/>

==Summary ==

=== Qualifying rounds ===
[[File:Liang Wenbo PHC 2016.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|During the qualifying rounds, [[Liang Wenbo]] achieved his third professional maximum break.|alt=Photograph of a sitting Liang Wenbo]]
The qualifying rounds took place at the [[English Institute of Sport, Sheffield|English Institute of Sport]] from 11 to 18 April 2018.<ref name="cXyM7" /> In the first round of qualifying, [[Liang Wenbo]] achieved his third professional [[maximum break]], and his second of the 2017/2018 season, in the 10th frame of his match against [[Rod Lawler]]. It was the second consecutive year a 147 was made in World Championship qualifying, and the fourth time overall. Liang came very close to becoming the first player to score two maximums in the same match, but he missed the final black after a break of 140 in the last frame.<ref>{{cite web |title=Liang Makes 147 – Then Misses Black on 140 |url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/liang-makes-147-misses-black-140/ |work=worldsnooker.com |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |date=12 April 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180413125225/http://www.worldsnooker.com/liang-makes-147-misses-black-140/ |archive-date=13 April 2018}}</ref> Liang was eliminated in the third round of qualifying; ranked at world number 19, he was the highest-ranked player not to feature in the main draw of the tournament, as both world number 17 [[Ryan Day (snooker player)|Ryan Day]] and world number 18 [[Stephen Maguire]] qualified.<ref name="live_Liam" />

Only seven of the 64 unseeded participants in qualifying (players ranked outside the world's top 80) made it through the first qualifying round, and only one of those seven, [[Adam Duffy]], progressed to the third qualifying round. Duffy did not, however, qualify for the main draw at the Crucible. Four players qualified for the Crucible for the first time: Lyu Haotian, [[Liam Highfield]], [[Thepchaiya Un-Nooh]], and [[Chris Wakelin]]. Lyu was the lowest ranked player to reach the main stage, at world number 68.<ref name="live_Liam" />

=== First round ===
[[File:Joe Perry PHC 2016-1.JPG|thumb|upright=0.8|Joe Perry defeated world number 1, and defending champion, [[Mark Selby]] in the first round.|alt=Photograph of a sitting Joe Perry, with arms crossed.]]
The draw for the opening round of the main tournament was conducted on 19 April 2018, two days before the start of the competition.<ref>{{Cite news |title=World Snooker Championship 2018: Ronnie O'Sullivan faces Stephen Maguire; Mark Selby plays Joe Perry |author=Hafez,Shamoon |work=[[BBC Sport]] |access-date=19 March 2018 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43814793 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180419114714/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43814793 |archive-date=19 April 2018 }}</ref> Technical issues delayed the 10:00 [[British Summer Time|BST]] start time by two hours, to 12:00.<ref>{{cite web |title=Crucible draw and format |url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/crucible-draw-format/ |work=worldsnooker.com |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |date=9 April 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180417192039/http://www.worldsnooker.com/crucible-draw-format/ |archive-date=17 April 2018}}</ref> The matches for the first round were spread out over six days from 21 to 26 April, and played using a two table setup in the Crucible Theatre. Each first round match was played over two sessions, as best of 19 frames (10 frames needed to win).<ref name="draw" /> Players and spectators criticised the two-hour delay to the tournament's first-round draw, which was caused by "technical issues".<ref name="bbc draw" /> World number 22 Joe Perry called the draw "an absolute joke",<ref name="bbc draw" /> claiming the delay caused qualifiers to "have no idea when [they] are playing, have to book hotels and make travel plans".<ref name="bbc draw" />

Of the sixteen first round matches, six ended with qualifiers defeating seeded players. The biggest upset of the round happened in the opening match, when Joe Perry defeated the defending champion and world number 1 Mark Selby. Perry won the first four frames before pulling away to 7–2 ahead after the first session of play. Selby was unable to catch Perry and was defeated 4–10, ending his 10-match undefeated streak in the world championships, as well as his two-year reign as world champion.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43848687 |title=World Snooker Championship 2018: Mark Selby beaten by Joe Perry in first round |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=21 April 2018 |access-date=21 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180421124226/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43848687 |archive-date=21 April 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="wc summary" /> The next highest ranked player to lose was world number 8 Shaun Murphy, who was upset by world number 51 [[Jamie Jones (snooker player)|Jamie Jones]] in a tight 10–9 match, where the scores were level at various stages.<ref name="day3" />

[[File:Lu Haotian PHC 2014-2.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|The youngest player of the main draw, [[Lyu Haotian]], was knocked out in the second round.|alt=photograph of a sitting Lu Haotian]]
The other four seeds to lose were the players ranked 10 through 13 in the world. Chinese debutant Lyu Haotian, both the youngest and lowest ranked player in the draw, defeated world number 11 Marco Fu in Fu's return to the Tour after eye surgery. Lyu was the only debutant to advance;<ref name="MarcovsLyu" /> he was 6–3 up after the first session and went on to win the match 10–5.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/lyu-stuns-fu-debut/ |title=Lyu Stuns Fu on Debut |work=worldsnooker.com |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |date=22 April 2018 |access-date=23 April 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423232314/http://www.worldsnooker.com/lyu-stuns-fu-debut/ |archive-date=23 April 2018}}</ref> [[Robert Milkins]] defeated world number 10 Neil Robertson 10–5.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Snooker Championship 2018: Robert Milkins beats 2010 champion Neil Robertson |author=Phillips, Owen |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=25 April 2018 |access-date=26 April 2018 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43894965 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180426003414/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43894965 |archive-date=26 April 2018 }}</ref> [[Jack Lisowski]] defeated world number 12 Stuart Bingham 10–7, thereby securing his first world championship match win in his second attempt.<ref name="day4" /> The 2015 world champion Bingham stated he was going to take a leave of absence from the sport after the loss. Bingham said he wanted to "spend some time with the family and put my cue down for a while".<ref name="BinghamBreak" /> Bingham had spent three months of the season serving a ban for [[betting]] infringements;<ref name="BinghamBreak" /> he commented, "It's not been the best of seasons in general, but on the table I've been pretty good."<ref name="BinghamBreak" /> [[Ricky Walden]] defeated world number 13 [[Luca Brecel]] 10–6; he was comfortably five frames ahead at 8–3, when Brecel won the next three frames to bring the score to 8–6, before Walden won the last two frames of the match.<ref name="day4" />

Of the eight former world champions playing in the main stage of the tournament, only three progressed to the second round: Ronnie O'Sullivan (five-time champion), John Higgins (four-time champion) and Mark Williams (two-time champion). All three were top seven seeds and had turned professional in the same year, 1992.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rejuvenated class of '92 inspire snooker's greatest era: O'Sullivan, Higgins and Williams |author=Kane, Desmond |work=[[Eurosport UK]] |date=3 June 2018 |access-date=8 May 2018 |url=https://www.eurosport.co.uk/snooker/rejuvenated-class-of-92-inspire-snooker-s-greatest-era-o-sullivan-higgins-and-williams_sto6665222/story.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508105055/https://www.eurosport.co.uk/snooker/rejuvenated-class-of-92-inspire-snooker-s-greatest-era-o-sullivan-higgins-and-williams_sto6665222/story.shtml |archive-date=8 May 2018 }}</ref> Ronnie O'Sullivan trailed 0–4 and then 3–6 after the opening session in his match against Stephen Maguire but then won seven of the last eight frames to win 10–7.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/rocket-rallies-maguire/ |work=worldsnooker.com |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |title=Rocket Rallies to Down Maguire |date=22 April 2018 |access-date=23 April 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423100435/http://www.worldsnooker.com/rocket-rallies-maguire/ |archive-date=23 April 2018}}</ref><ref name="Day 2 Summary" /> The 16th frame of this encounter was O'Sullivan's 1000th frame win at the Crucible. This was also his 15th consecutive first round victory at the world championships.<ref name="wc summary" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=World Snooker Championship 2018: Ronnie O'Sullivan wanted to refund spectators |author=Hafez, Shamoon |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=22 April 2018 |access-date=23 April 2018 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43855578 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423100434/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43855578 |archive-date=23 April 2018 }}</ref> John Higgins defeated Thai debutant Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 10–7. Both players attempted maximum breaks: Higgins missed the 14th red ball on 104 in the 8th frame of the first session; Un-Nooh scored 14 reds with blacks, on course for his second career maximum, before missing the 15th red on 112 in the 12th frame of the final session.<ref>{{Cite web |title=John Higgins v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh: Four-time champ keeps cool to quell Un-Nooh threat |work=[[Eurosport UK]] |date=25 April 2018 |access-date=26 April 2018 |url=https://www.eurosport.com/snooker/world-championship/2017-2018/john-higgins-keeps-cool-to-quell-thepchaiya-un-nooh-threat_sto6728333/story.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180426144621/https://www.eurosport.com/snooker/world-championship/2017-2018/john-higgins-keeps-cool-to-quell-thepchaiya-un-nooh-threat_sto6728333/story.shtml |archive-date=26 April 2018 }}</ref> Mark Williams defeated [[Jimmy Robertson (snooker player)|Jimmy Robertson]] in his first round match 10–5. Williams led 7–2 after the initial session, then he hit a tournament highest break (at that point) of 140 in the 13th frame, to go 9–4 ahead, before winning the match after two further frames.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Snooker Championship 2018: Mark Williams beats Jimmy Robertson 10–5 |author=Phillips, Owen |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=25 April 2018 |access-date=25 April 2018 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43894965 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180425115505/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43894965 |archive-date=25 April 2018 }}</ref>

In addition to O'Sullivan, Ali Carter and [[Anthony McGill]] both advanced despite trailing by three frames in the middle of their matches. Carter defeated Graeme Dott 10–8 in his first round match, despite being behind 3–6 overnight.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Championship 2018: Round-up – Carter comes back to beat Dott, Lyu stuns Fu |author=Sharland, Pete |work=[[Eurosport UK]] |date=22 April 2018 |access-date=23 April 2018 |url=https://www.eurosport.co.uk/snooker/world-championship/2017-2018/world-championship-2018-round-up-carter-comes-back-to-beat-dott-haotian-stuns-fu_sto6724640/story.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180424105104/https://www.eurosport.co.uk/snooker/world-championship/2017-2018/world-championship-2018-round-up-carter-comes-back-to-beat-dott-haotian-stuns-fu_sto6724640/story.shtml |archive-date=24 April 2018 }}</ref> McGill defeated Ryan Day 10–8; after trailing 5–8 earlier in the match, McGill won the last five frames to secure his place in the second round. He said he could not believe he had won,<ref name="day5" /> and the BBC referred to McGill's win as an "unbelievable comeback".<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Snooker Championship: Watch as Anthony McGill seals 'unbelievable' comeback against Ryan Day |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=26 April 2018 |access-date=27 April 2018 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43913708 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180427050957/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43913708 |archive-date=27 April 2018 }}</ref> The closing match of the first round saw the second final frame decider, after Jones's upset of Murphy. Recovering from 4–8 behind against Judd Trump, debutant Chris Wakelin won four frames in a row, to draw level at 8–8. The two players shared the next two frames, bringing the score to nine apiece, before Trump took the deciding frame.<ref name="day5" />

The winners of the remaining matches of the round were [[Kyren Wilson]], [[Mark Allen (snooker player)|Mark Allen]], Barry Hawkins, and Ding Junhui. Wilson defeated Matthew Stevens 10–3.<ref name="Day 2 Summary" /> In the 12th frame, Stevens accidentally nudged the pink ball with his hand and declared a foul on himself, which allowed Wilson to win the frame, extending his lead to 9–3.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wilson cruises past Stevens to progress in World Snooker Championship |publisher=[[Northampton Chronicle & Echo]] |date=23 April 2018 |access-date=23 April 2018 |url=https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/sport/wilson-cruises-past-stevens-to-progress-in-world-snooker-championship-1-8471047 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423100434/https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/sport/wilson-cruises-past-stevens-to-progress-in-world-snooker-championship-1-8471047 |archive-date=23 April 2018 }}</ref> Allen, the reigning [[2018 Masters (snooker)|Masters champion]], defeated debutant Liam Highfield 10–5; neither player scored a century, although Highfield came close with two breaks of 99.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mark Allen v Liam Highfield: Masters champion Allen eases into last 16 |work=[[Eurosport]] |date=23 April 2018 |access-date=23 April 2018 |url=https://www.eurosport.com/snooker/world-championship/2017-2018/mark-allen-v-liam-highfield-masters-champion-allen-eases-into-last-16_sto6725319/story.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180424105105/https://www.eurosport.com/snooker/world-championship/2017-2018/mark-allen-v-liam-highfield-masters-champion-allen-eases-into-last-16_sto6725319/story.shtml |archive-date=24 April 2018 }}</ref> Hawkins defeated [[Stuart Carrington]] 10–7, after winning a 55-minute 14th frame.<ref name="day3" /> For the second successive year, Ding faced a fellow Chinese player in the first round of the tournament; having defeated [[Zhou Yuelong]] in 2017, he faced [[Xiao Guodong]] in 2018. Ding came out as a convincing 10–3 winner, despite losing the opening two frames of the match.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Snooker: Ding erases slow start at World Championship |work=[[CNA (news channel)|Channel News Asia]] |date=23 April 2018 |access-date=24 April 2018 |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sport/snooker-ding-erases-slow-start-at-world-championship-10169276 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180424105103/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sport/snooker-ding-erases-slow-start-at-world-championship-10169276 |archive-date=24 April 2018 }}</ref>

=== Second round ===
The second round matches were played as best of 25 frames (13 frames needed to win), each over three sessions using a two table setup. The first match of the second round was between Mark Allen and Joe Perry, who defeated the defending champion in the first round. After sharing the first two sessions of their second round match at 8–8, Allen won all five frames in the third session to go through to the quarter-finals with a 13–8 win.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Snooker 2018: Mark Allen beats Joe Perry 13–8 to reach quarter-finals |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=27 April 2018 |access-date=30 April 2018 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43920858 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180428023355/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43920858 |archive-date=28 April 2018 }}</ref>
[[File:John Higgins PHC 2015.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|[[John Higgins]] scored a 146 break in his second round match, and later won 13–1.|alt=Photograph of John Higgins with a cue in hand, ready to strike the cue ball.]]
Barry Hawkins defeated Lyu Haotian 13–10 in their second round match, to enter the quarter-finals for the sixth consecutive year. The pair were level at 10–10 before Hawkins won the last three frames of the match.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Barrry Hawkins v Lyu Haotian: Hawkins extends amazing World Championship quarter-final run |author=Adams, Tom |work=[[Eurosport UK]] |date=28 April 2018 |access-date=30 April 2018 |url=https://www.eurosport.co.uk/snooker/world-championship/2017-2018/barrry-hawkins-v-lyu-haotian-hawkins-extends-amazing-world-championship-quarter-final-run_sto6731259/story.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180501095349/https://www.eurosport.co.uk/snooker/world-championship/2017-2018/barrry-hawkins-v-lyu-haotian-hawkins-extends-amazing-world-championship-quarter-final-run_sto6731259/story.shtml |archive-date=1 May 2018 }}</ref> Ali Carter played Ronnie O'Sullivan in the second round, a rematch of both the [[2008 World Snooker Championship|2008]] and the [[2012 World Snooker Championship|2012 World Championship]] finals. The two players came into contact and exchanged words after the 19th frame of the match.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ronnie O'Sullivan tells journalists: 'Until I die, you will have to keep writing stuff' |author=Hafez, Shamoon |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=28 April 2018 |access-date=30 April 2018 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43936442 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180430013951/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43936442 |archive-date=30 April 2018 }}</ref> The pair had brushed shoulders, in an incident the ''[[Independent (newspaper)|Independent]]'' described as a "barge".<ref name="wc summary" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ronnie O'Sullivan beaten by Ali Carter in bitter battle at World Snooker Championship |author=Skilbeck, John |work=[[The Independent]] |date=28 April 2018 |access-date=30 April 2018 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/ronnie-o-sullivan-ali-carter-world-snooker-championship-shoulder-barge-a8327416.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180501095352/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/ronnie-o-sullivan-ali-carter-world-snooker-championship-shoulder-barge-a8327416.html |archive-date=1 May 2018 }}</ref> Following the match, O'Sullivan described it as being "overplayed" by the media.<ref name="OSullivanCarter" /> Having defeated O'Sullivan on only one occasion from a total of seventeen attempts in the group stages of the non-ranking [[2010 Championship League]], Carter eventually triumphed 13–9 to advance to the quarter-finals.<ref name="wc summary" /><ref name="OSullivanCarter" />

Kyren Wilson secured a place in the quarter-finals by defeating Jamie Jones 13–5, winning all of the last six frames of the match. During a clearance in the penultimate frame, Wilson played a screw shot which jumped the cueball off the table, damaging the head of his cue tip.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kyren Wilson v Jamie Jones: Tip drama can't derail Wilson in World Championship |author=Adams, Tom |work=[[Eurosport UK]] |date=28 April 2018 |access-date=30 April 2018 |url=https://www.eurosport.co.uk/snooker/world-championship/2017-2018/kyren-wilson-v-jamie-jones-tip-drama-can-t-derail-wilson-in-world-championship_sto6731991/story.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180501095348/https://www.eurosport.co.uk/snooker/world-championship/2017-2018/kyren-wilson-v-jamie-jones-tip-drama-can-t-derail-wilson-in-world-championship_sto6731991/story.shtml |archive-date=1 May 2018 }}</ref> John Higgins defeated Jack Lisowski 13–1, with a session to spare; Lisowski scored his only frame of the match at 0–10 behind. In the 13th frame, Higgins scored a break of 146, one point short of a maximum. This was Higgins' highest break at the Crucible (until 147 in the 2020 tournament), and it was the highest anyone scored in the 2018 tournament.<ref name="wc summary" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=World Snooker Championship 2018: Ding Junhui leads 12–4, John Higgins through |author=Hafez, Shamoon |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=29 April 2018 |access-date=30 April 2018 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43940921 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180429213657/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43940921 |archive-date=29 April 2018 }}</ref>

The remaining three matches of the second round finished with Ding Junhui defeating Anthony McGill 13–4, after having won the first session of their match 8–0 and scoring seven 50+ breaks.<ref name="day8" /> Judd Trump defeated Ricky Walden 13–9, taking a late lead after the score drew level at 8–8 following the first two sessions.<ref name="day8" /> Mark Williams defeated Robert Milkins, 13–7, thereby eliminating the only remaining qualifier in the competition.<ref name="day8" />

=== Quarter-finals ===
[[File:Kyren Wilson PHC 2014-2.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|[[Kyren Wilson]] defeated [[Mark Allen (snooker player)|Mark Allen]] in their quarter-final match, 13–6.|alt=Photograph of Kyren Wilson leaning across the table, holding a cue.]]The quarter-finals were also played as best of 25 frames, each over three sessions using a two table setup, with the four matches played on 1 and 2 May 2018. All eight of the quarter-finalists were seeded players, with Mark Allen the lowest ranked player left in the competition at world number 16. Barry Hawkins defeated Ding Junhui 13–5, to make it through to his fifth Crucible semi-final in six years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/hawkins-completes-ding-demolition/|title=Hawkins Completes Ding Demolition|work=worldsnooker.com|publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]]|date=2 May 2018|access-date=2 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180502213801/http://www.worldsnooker.com/hawkins-completes-ding-demolition/|archive-date=2 May 2018}}</ref> Kyren Wilson played Mark Allen, in a repeat of the [[2018 Masters (snooker)#Final|2018 Masters final]] just over three months prior. Despite having lost to Allen in that match, Wilson took an 11–5 lead over Allen overnight, eventually winning the match 13–6.<ref name="WilsonAllen" /> With this victory, Wilson made it through to his first ever Crucible semi-final, having lost in the quarter-finals in the previous two World Championships.<ref name="WilsonAllen" /> Mark Williams took leads of 5–3 and 9–7 after the first two sessions against Ali Carter. Williams then won four of the last five frames, with four breaks of 100 or more, to defeat Carter 13–8.<ref name="HigginsTrump" />

The closest quarter-final was the last match, between John Higgins and Judd Trump, which was a rematch of the [[2011 World Snooker Championship|2011 World Championship]] final. Trump gained an early lead in the second session at 7–3, but Higgins won the next five frames, and the pair finished the session at 8–8. Trump won the next two frames and took a two-frame lead at 11–9, before Higgins won the next three frames to retake the lead at 12–11.<ref name="HigginsTrump" /> Trump won the 24th frame to force a final frame decider, which Higgins won to clinch the match, later describing it as a "classic" and joking that Trump "must hate the sight of him".<ref name="wc summary" /><ref name="HigginsTrump" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=John Higgins knocks out Judd Trump in thrilling contest to reach semi-finals |work=[[The Independent]] |date=3 May 2018 |access-date=3 May 2018 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/world-snooker-championship-john-higgins-judd-trump-semifinals-barry-hawkins-a8333786.html |quote=must hate the sight of me. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180504111256/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/world-snooker-championship-john-higgins-judd-trump-semifinals-barry-hawkins-a8333786.html |archive-date=4 May 2018 }}</ref>

=== Semi-finals ===
[[File:Barry Hawkins at Snooker German Masters (DerHexer) 2013-02-02 15.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|[[Barry Hawkins]] reached the semi-finals, but lost 15–17 to [[Mark Williams (snooker player)|Mark Williams]].|alt=Photograph of Barry Hawkins with a cue and a rest.]]
The semi-finals were each played over four sessions, between 3 and 5 May 2018, with the matches played as best of 33 frames (17 frames needed to win) in a {{cuegloss|Single table format|single table setup}}. The first semi-final was between John Higgins and Kyren Wilson. Higgins took an early lead in the opening session, leading Wilson 5–3, and retained this lead into the next two sessions, at 9–7, and 13–11. The pair shared the next four frames to leave the match at 15–13, before Higgins won the final two frames to win 17–13.<ref name="wc summary" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/44016701 |title=World Snooker Championship 2018: John Higgins to face Mark Williams in final |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=5 May 2018 |access-date=6 May 2018 |author=Hafez, Shamoon |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180505223729/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/44016701 |archive-date=5 May 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/others/snooker-higgins-world-championship-final-john-higgins-kyren-wilson-crucible-reaches-seventh-final-a8338206.html |title=John Higgins reaches seventh World Championship final after beating Kyren Wilson 17–13 at the Crucible |work=[[The Independent]] |date=5 May 2018 |access-date=6 May 2018 |author=Rutzler, Peter |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508105055/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/others/snooker-higgins-world-championship-final-john-higgins-kyren-wilson-crucible-reaches-seventh-final-a8338206.html |archive-date=8 May 2018 }}</ref>

The second semi-final was between Barry Hawkins and Mark Williams. Hawkins took a similar lead over Williams, with Hawkins taking 5–3, 9–7, and 13–11 leads, before going into the final session. Williams made a comeback, drawing level at 14 frames apiece, and then again at 15 all. Williams took the lead for the first time in the match at 16–15, before winning it 17–15.<ref name="wc summary" /> His victory ensured that, for the first time since the World Championship moved to the Crucible in [[1977 World Snooker Championship|1977]], both finalists would be over 40 years old.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/may/05/john-higgins-world-championship-snooker-final-kyren-wilson |title=Mark Williams wins thriller to join John Higgins in world snooker final |date=5 May 2018 |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=7 May 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180506201611/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/may/05/john-higgins-world-championship-snooker-final-kyren-wilson |archive-date=6 May 2018}}</ref>

=== Final ===
The two finalists were John Higgins and Mark Williams; both former champions. The final was played as a best of 35 frames match (18 frames needed to win), spread over four sessions between 6 and 7 May 2018. Williams took an early lead in the first session of the match, winning all of the first four frames. Higgins won the second mini-session 3–1, so the first session ended with a 5–3 lead for Williams.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/44023793 |title=World Snooker Championship final: Mark Williams leads John Higgins |author=Hafez, Shamoon |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=6 May 2018 |access-date=6 May 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180506163811/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/44023793 |archive-date=6 May 2018}}</ref> In the second session, Williams took the next two frames to lead 7–3, before Higgins scored four consecutive frames to level the score at 7–7. Williams then pulled away once again, winning the final three frames to take a 10–7 lead overnight.<ref>{{cite web|title=Williams 10–7 Up Overnight|url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/williams-10-7-up-overnight/|date=6 May 2018|work=worldsnooker.com|publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]]|access-date=7 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508105055/http://www.worldsnooker.com/williams-10-7-up-overnight/|archive-date=8 May 2018}}</ref>

Williams won the first four frames on the second day of the final, extending his winning streak to seven frames and his lead to 14–7, before Higgins pulled two frames back after the mid-session interval. In the second of those frames, Higgins won with a 72 counter-clearance after Williams missed on a break of 65. In the following frame, Higgins started on a maximum break, which had never been achieved in a World Championship final; he potted ten reds with blacks but could not complete the clearance. Nevertheless, he secured his third successive frame with the break of 80, reducing his deficit to 10–14. Williams took the last frame to win the session 5–3, giving him a 15–10 lead heading into the final session of the championship.<ref>{{cite web|title=Williams Leads 15–10 Ahead of Crucible Finale|url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/williams-leads-15-10-ahead-of-crucible-finale/|date=7 May 2018|work=worldsnooker.com|publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]]|access-date=7 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508105055/http://www.worldsnooker.com/williams-leads-15-10-ahead-of-crucible-finale/|archive-date=8 May 2018}}</ref>
[[File:Mark Williams at Snooker German Masters (DerHexer) 2015-02-05 02.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|[[Mark Williams (snooker player)|Mark Williams]] won his third world title, with an 18–16 win against [[John Higgins]] in the final match of the tournament.|alt=Photograph of tournament winner, Mark Williams about to play a shot.]]
Higgins responded by winning the first five frames of the final session to level the match at 15–15, including three clearances and a match highest break of 131. Williams then won his first frame of the evening, and followed it up with a 100 break to take the score to 17–15, thus requiring one further frame to round off the match. In the 33rd frame, on a break of 63, Williams missed a pink that would have clinched the title; Higgins then cleared the table for a break of 65 to pull the score to 16–17. In the 34th frame, Williams held his nerve to make a match-winning break of 69, concluding the match at 18–16 and securing his third world title.<ref name="wc summary" /><ref name="conquerer">{{cite web|title=Williams Conquers Crucible|url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/williams-conquers-crucible/|date=7 May 2018|website=worldsnooker.com |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |access-date=7 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508105055/http://www.worldsnooker.com/williams-conquers-crucible/|archive-date=8 May 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/snooker/44032024 |title=World Championship: Mark Williams beats John Higgins to win title |work=[[BBC Sport]] |author=Hafez, Shamoon |date=7 May 2018 |access-date=8 May 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180507235935/https://www.bbc.com/sport/snooker/44032024 |archive-date=7 May 2018}}</ref>

On winning the championship, Williams said "The turnaround in the past twelve months is something I cannot work out", after not having appeared in the competition in the previous season.<ref name="BBCWilliamswin">{{Cite web |title=World Championship: Mark Williams says third title is unbelievable |author=Hafez, Shamoon |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=8 May 2018 |access-date=8 May 2018 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/44035443 |quote=The turnaround in the past 12 months is something I cannot work out |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508090422/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/44035443 |archive-date=8 May 2018 }}</ref> Before the tournament, Williams had said if he won the world title he would attend the post tournament press conference naked.<ref name="naked mark" /> Following his victory, Williams entered the conference wearing only a towel around his waist, but removed it when he was safely seated behind a table.<ref name="wc summary" /> Williams then promised that if he was to win the [[2019 World Snooker Championship|next season]], he would "cartwheel round here naked".<ref name="naked mark" />

Williams' victory came fifteen years after his last world title in [[2003 World Snooker Championship|2003]]; this was the longest span between two successive wins in the history of the tournament.<ref name="conquerer"/> At the age of 43, Williams became the oldest world champion since [[Ray Reardon]] won the event in [[1978 World Snooker Championship|1978]] aged 45.<ref name="bbc._Cruc">{{Cite news |title=Crucible Memories: When the world champion got naked - BBC Sport |work=[[BBC Sport]] |access-date=11 June 2019 |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/snooker/47964529 }}</ref><ref name="worl_Mark">{{Cite web |title=Mark Williams - World Snooker |website=worldsnooker.com |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |access-date=11 June 2019 |url= http://www.worldsnooker.com/players/mark-williams-2/ }}</ref> At the [[2020 World Snooker Championship]], O'Sullivan won the event at the age of 44.<ref>{{Cite news|title=O'Sullivan wins sixth world title|language=en-GB|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/53795792|access-date=2021-10-21}}</ref>)

== Main draw ==
The numbers in parentheses are players' seedings. Players listed in bold indicate match winner.

{{32TeamBracket-Info|paramstyle=numbered
| team-width = 175
| RD1 = First round<br />Best of 19 frames
| RD2 = Second round<br />Best of 25 frames
| RD3 = Quarter-finals<br />Best of 25 frames
| RD4 = Semi-finals<br />Best of 33 frames
| RD5 = Final<br />Best of 35 frames
<!--Date-Place/Player 1/Score 1/Player 2/Score 2 -->
<!-- LAST 32 -->
<!--Match1 -->
|21 April|{{flagathlete|[[Mark Selby]]|ENG}} (1)|4 |'''{{flagathlete|[[Joe Perry (snooker player)|Joe Perry]]|ENG}}''' |'''10'''
<!--Match2 -->
|22 & 23 April|'''{{flagathlete|[[Mark Allen (snooker player)|Mark Allen]]|NIR}} (16)'''|'''10''' |{{flagathlete|[[Liam Highfield]]|ENG}} |5
<!--Match3 -->
|21 & 22 April|'''{{flagathlete|[[Kyren Wilson]]|ENG}} (9)'''|'''10''' |{{flagathlete|[[Matthew Stevens]]|WAL}} |3
<!--Match4 -->
|22 & 23 April|{{flagathlete|[[Shaun Murphy]] |ENG}} (8)|9 |'''{{flagathlete|[[Jamie Jones (snooker player)|Jamie Jones]]|WAL}} '''|'''10'''
<!--Match5 -->
|25 April|'''{{flagathlete|[[John Higgins]]|SCO}} (5)'''|'''10''' |{{flagathlete|[[Thepchaiya Un-Nooh]]|THA}}|7
<!--Match6 -->
|24 April|{{flagathlete|[[Stuart Bingham]]|ENG}} (12)|7 |'''{{flagathlete|[[Jack Lisowski]]|ENG}} '''|'''10'''
<!--Match7 -->
|23 & 24 April|{{flagathlete|[[Luca Brecel]]|BEL}} (13)|6 |'''{{flagathlete|[[Ricky Walden]]|ENG}} '''|'''10'''
<!--Match8 -->
|25 & 26 April|'''{{flagathlete|[[Judd Trump]]|ENG}} (4)'''|'''10''' |{{flagathlete|[[Chris Wakelin]]|ENG}}|9
<!--Match9 -->
|23 & 24 April|'''{{flagathlete|[[Ding Junhui]]|CHN}} (3)'''|'''10''' |{{flagathlete|[[Xiao Guodong]]|CHN}}|3
<!--Match10 -->
|25 & 26 April|'''{{flagathlete|[[Anthony McGill]]|SCO}} (14)'''|'''10''' |{{flagathlete|[[Ryan Day (snooker player)|Ryan Day]]|WAL}} |8
<!--Match11 -->
|21 & 22 April|{{flagathlete|[[Marco Fu]]|HKG}} (11)|5 |'''{{flagathlete|[[Lyu Haotian]]|CHN}}'''|'''10'''
<!--Match12 -->
|23 April|'''{{flagathlete|[[Barry Hawkins]]|ENG}} (6)'''|'''10''' |{{flagathlete|[[Stuart Carrington]]|ENG}} |7
<!--Match13 -->
|24 & 25 April|'''{{flagathlete|[[Mark Williams (snooker player)|Mark Williams]]|WAL}} (7)'''|'''10''' |{{flagathlete|[[Jimmy Robertson (snooker player)|Jimmy Robertson]]|ENG}}|5
<!--Match14 -->
|24 & 25 April|{{flagathlete|[[Neil Robertson]]|AUS}} (10)|5 |'''{{flagathlete|[[Robert Milkins]]|ENG}}''' |'''10'''
<!--Match15 -->
|21 & 22 April|'''{{flagathlete|[[Ali Carter]]|ENG}} (15)'''|'''10''' |{{flagathlete|[[Graeme Dott]]|SCO}} |8
<!--Match16 -->
|21 & 22 April|'''{{flagathlete|[[Ronnie O'Sullivan]]|ENG}} (2)'''|'''10''' |{{flagathlete|[[Stephen Maguire]]|SCO}}|7
<!-- LAST 16 -->
<!--Match1 -->
|26 & 27 April|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Joe Perry (snooker player)|Joe Perry]]|8 |{{flagicon|NIR}} '''[[Mark Allen (snooker player)|Mark Allen]] (16)'''|'''13'''
<!--Match2 -->
|27 & 28 April|{{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Kyren Wilson]] (9)'''|'''13''' |{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Jamie Jones (snooker player)|Jamie Jones]]|5
<!--Match3 -->
|28 & 29 April|{{flagicon|SCO}} '''[[John Higgins]] (5)'''|'''13''' |{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Jack Lisowski]]|1
<!--Match4 -->
|29 & 30 April|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Ricky Walden]]|9 |{{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Judd Trump]] (4)'''|'''13'''
<!--Match5 -->
|29 & 30 April|{{flagicon|CHN}} '''[[Ding Junhui]] (3)'''|'''13''' |{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Anthony McGill]] (14)|4
<!--Match6 -->
|26, 27 & 28 April|{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Lyu Haotian]]|10 |{{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Barry Hawkins]] (6)'''|'''13'''
<!--Match7 -->
|28, 29 & 30 April|{{flagicon|WAL}} '''[[Mark Williams (snooker player)|Mark Williams]] (7)'''|'''13''' |{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Robert Milkins]]|7
<!--Match8 -->
|27 & 28 April|{{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Ali Carter]] (15)'''|'''13''' |{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Ronnie O'Sullivan]] (2)|9
<!-- QUARTER-FINALS -->
<!--Match1 -->
|1 & 2 May|{{flagicon|NIR}} [[Mark Allen (snooker player)|Mark Allen]] (16)|6 |{{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Kyren Wilson]] (9)'''|'''13'''
<!--Match2 -->
|1 & 2 May|{{flagicon|SCO}} '''[[John Higgins]] (5)'''|'''13''' |{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Judd Trump]] (4)|12
<!--Match3 -->
|1 & 2 May|{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Ding Junhui]] (3)|5 |{{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Barry Hawkins]] (6)'''|'''13'''
<!--Match4 -->
|1 & 2 May|{{flagicon|WAL}} '''[[Mark Williams (snooker player)|Mark Williams]] (7)'''|'''13''' |{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Ali Carter]] (15)|8
<!-- SEMI-FINALS -->
<!--Match1 -->
|3, 4 & 5 May|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Kyren Wilson]] (9)|13 |{{flagicon|SCO}} '''[[John Higgins]] (5)'''|'''17'''
<!--Match2 -->
|3, 4 & 5 May|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Barry Hawkins]] (6)|15 |{{flagicon|WAL}} '''[[Mark Williams (snooker player)|Mark Williams]] (7)'''|'''17'''
<!-- FINAL -->
|6 & 7 May|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[John Higgins]] (5)|16|{{flagicon|WAL}} '''[[Mark Williams (snooker player)|Mark Williams]] (7)'''|'''18'''
}}

{{WSC2-v2 table
|(Best of 35 frames) [[Crucible Theatre]], [[Sheffield]], 6 & 7 May 2018<br/>Referee: [[Brendan Moore (snooker referee)|Brendan Moore]]
|[[John Higgins]] (5)<br/>{{SCO}}
|16–'''18'''
|'''[[Mark Williams (snooker player)|Mark Williams]] (7)'''<br/>{{WAL}}
|3–'''5'''
|4–'''5''' (7–'''10''')
|3–'''5''' (10–'''15''')
|'''6'''–3 (16–'''18''')
|'''131'''
|118
|'''4'''
|2
|'''16'''
|14
|{{flagicon|WAL}} '''Mark Williams''' wins the 2018 [[Betfred]] [[World Snooker Championship]].
<!-- Frame header info -->
|player1 = Higgins
|player2 = Williams

|f1t=23
|f2t=15
|f3t=35
|f4t=60 (55)
|f5t='''120'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (119)
|f6t=0
|f7t='''98'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (52)
|f8t='''82'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (59)
|f9t=46
|f10t='''75'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (51)
|f11t='''127'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (127)
|f12t=12
|f13t='''85'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (56)
|f14t='''123'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (117)
|f15t=0
|f16t=35
|f17t=43
|f18t=5
|f19t=19
|f20t=0
|f21t=7
|f22t='''92'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (67)
|f23t='''76'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (72)
|f24t='''80'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (80)
|f25t=8
|f26t='''131'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (131)
|f27t='''68'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (68)
|f28t='''82'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (82)
|f29t='''91'''{{dagger|frame winner}}
|f30t='''67'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (62)
|f31t=0
|f32t=15
|f33t='''65'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (65)
|f34t=0
|f35t=N/A
|f1b='''75'''{{dagger|frame winner}}
|f2b='''65'''{{dagger|frame winner}}
|f3b='''72'''{{dagger|frame winner}}
|f4b='''70'''{{dagger|frame winner}}
|f5b=4
|f6b='''133'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (95)
|f7b=0
|f8b=21
|f9b='''81'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (72)
|f10b=31
|f11b=8
|f12b='''76'''{{dagger|frame winner}}
|f13b=9
|f14b=15
|f15b='''123'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (118)
|f16b='''64'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (64)
|f17b='''80'''{{dagger|frame winner}}
|f18b='''98'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (61)
|f19b='''73'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (56)
|f20b='''126'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (69, 56)
|f21b='''63'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (52)
|f22b=29
|f23b=65 (65)
|f24b=0
|f25b='''84'''{{dagger|frame winner}}
|f26b=1
|f27b=58 (58)
|f28b=47
|f29b=0
|f30b=47
|f31b='''74'''{{dagger|frame winner}}
|f32b='''104'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (100)
|f33b=63 (63)
|f34b='''71'''{{dagger|frame winner}} (69)
|f35b=N/A
}}

== Qualifying ==
There were 128 players in the qualifying competition. The qualifying event was played in three rounds, with the 16 winners of the third round matches progressing to the main stages of the tournament at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. Qualifying took place between 11 and 18 April 2018 at the English Institute of Sport, also in Sheffield, in a 12-table setup. All matches were best of 19 frames.<ref name="field_set" />

A total of 113 tour players (ranked outside the top 16, including Invitational Tour Card holders Ken Doherty and Jimmy White) were joined by 15 amateur players who had achieved success through the [[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] (WPBSA) qualifying criteria. Among the 131 [[Snooker season 2017/2018#Players|World Snooker Tour players]], only [[Boonyarit Keattikun]] and [[Kritsanut Lertsattayathorn]] (both from Thailand) did not participate in the qualifying rounds or the main draw.<ref name="worl_Betf">{{Cite web |title=Betfred World Championship Qualifiers 2018 – World Snooker |website=worldsnooker.com |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |access-date=5 April 2019 |url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/tickets/betfred-world-championship-qualifiers-2018/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330175052/http://www.worldsnooker.com/tickets/betfred-world-championship-qualifiers-2018/ |archive-date=30 March 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> Players ranked 17–80 in the [[Snooker world ranking points 2017/2018|world rankings]] were seeded in qualifying.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Story Of The 2018 Betfred World Championship – World Snooker |website=worldsnooker.com |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |date=8 May 2018 |access-date=5 December 2018 |url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/story-of-the-2018-betfred-world-championship/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180509012935/http://www.worldsnooker.com/story-of-the-2018-betfred-world-championship/ |archive-date=9 May 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> The following 15 amateur players were invited to compete in qualifying:<ref name="field_set" /><ref name="Qualiresults">{{cite web|url=http://www.snooker.org/res/index.asp?event=604|title=Betfred World Snooker Championship qualifiers 2018 results|work=snooker.org|access-date=22 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910215547/http://www.snooker.org/res/index.asp?event=604|archive-date=10 September 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

* 2018 [[WSF Championship]] semi-finalists:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/wsf-championship-set-knockout-rounds/ |work=worldsnooker.com |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |title=WSF Championship Set for Knockout Rounds |date=21 March 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180401144640/http://www.worldsnooker.com/wsf-championship-set-knockout-rounds/ |archive-date=1 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wpbsa.com/luo-honghao-wins-wsf-championship/ |website=worldsnooker.com |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |title=Luo Honghao Wins WSF Championship |date=24 March 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180331183014/https://www.wpbsa.com/luo-honghao-wins-wsf-championship/ |archive-date=31 March 2018}}</ref> <s>[[Luo Honghao]]</s>,{{efn|Luo Honghao could not obtain a visa in time to compete.<ref name="field_set" />}} [[Adam Stefanów]], [[Kristján Helgason]], [[Kacper Filipiak]]
* 2018 WSF Seniors Championship winner: [[Igor Figueiredo]]
* [[Ladies World Snooker Championship|2018 WLBS World Women's Championship]] winner:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/yee-wins-third-world-womens-title/ |work=worldsnooker.com |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |title=On Yee Wins Third World Women's Title |date=18 March 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180404073834/http://www.worldsnooker.com/yee-wins-third-world-womens-title/ |archive-date=4 April 2018}}</ref> [[Ng On-yee]]
* [[EBSA European Snooker Championships|2018 EBSA European Championship]] finalists: [[Harvey Chandler]], [[Jordan Brown (snooker player)|Jordan Brown]]
* [[EBSA European Under-21 Snooker Championships|2018 EBSA European Under-21 Championship]] runner-up: [[Tyler Rees]]
* [[EBSA European Under-18 Snooker Championships|2018 EBSA European Under-18 Championship]] winner: [[Jackson Page]]
* EBSA Order of Merit 2017/18: [[Jamie Cope]]
* [[2018 World Seniors Championship]] winner:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://snookerhq.com/2018/03/25/aaron-canavan-becomes-world-seniors-champion/ |title=Aaron Canavan Becomes World Seniors Champion |date=25 March 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180404073717/https://snookerhq.com/2018/03/25/aaron-canavan-becomes-world-seniors-champion/ |work=snookerHQ|archive-date=4 April 2018}}</ref> Aaron Canavan
* WLBS World Ranking No.2: [[Reanne Evans]]
* 2018 OBSF Oceania Championship winner: Adrian Ridley
* WPBSA Development invitations: Ryan Thomerson, Marvin Lim

=== Round 1 ===
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
{|class="wikitable "
|-
!width=200|Player
!width=60|Score
!width=200|Player
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Ryan Day (snooker player)|Ryan Day]]|WAL}} (1)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–2 || {{flagathlete|[[Igor Figueiredo]]|BRA}} 
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Mitchell Mann]]|ENG}} (64)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–5 || {{flagathlete|[[Peter Lines]]|ENG}} 
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Robbie Williams (snooker player)|Robbie Williams]]|ENG}} (32)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–8 || {{flagathlete|[[Jak Jones]]|WAL}} 
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Peter Ebdon]]|ENG}} (33)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–4 || {{flagathlete|[[James Wattana]]|THA}} 
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Zhou Yuelong]]|CHN}} (16)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–1 || {{flagathlete|[[Ian Preece]]|WAL}} 
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Daniel Wells (snooker player)|Daniel Wells]]|WAL}}  (49)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–6 || {{flagathlete|[[Kurt Dunham]]|AUS}} 
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Tom Ford (snooker player)|Tom Ford]]|ENG}}  (17)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–2 || {{flagathlete|[[Leo Fernandez]]|IRL}} 
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Liam Highfield]]|ENG}}  (48)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–3 || {{flagathlete|[[Chen Zhe]]|CHN}} 
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Matthew Selt]]|ENG}}  (41)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–1 || {{flagathlete|[[Ng On-yee]]|HKG}}
|-
|{{flagathlete| [[Mark Joyce]]|ENG}} (24) || align="center"| 4–'''10''' || '''{{flagathlete|[[Adam Duffy]]|ENG}} '''
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Mei Xiwen]]|CHN}} (56)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–8 || {{flagathlete|[[Basem Eltahhan]]|EGY}} 
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Xiao Guodong]]|CHN}}  (9)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–3 || {{flagathlete|[[Chris Totten]]|SCO}} 
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Stuart Carrington]] |ENG}} (40)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–9 || {{flagathlete|[[Nigel Bond]]|ENG}} 
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Ben Woollaston]]|ENG}}  (25)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–5 || {{flagathlete|[[Kacper Filipiak]]|POL}} 
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Zhang Anda]]|CHN}} (57)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–6 || {{flagathlete|[[Zhang Yong (snooker player)|Zhang Yong]]|CHN}}
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Martin Gould]]|ENG}}  (8)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–4 || {{flagathlete|[[Paul Davison]]|ENG}}
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Graeme Dott]]|SCO}}  (5)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–1 || {{flagathlete|Adrian Ridley|AUS}} 
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Sunny Akani]]|THA}}  (60)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–4 || {{flagathlete|[[Lukas Kleckers]]|GER}} 
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Dominic Dale]]|WAL}}  (28)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–7 || {{flagathlete|[[Reanne Evans]]|ENG}} 
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Mike Dunn (snooker player)|Mike Dunn]]|ENG}}  (37)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–8 || {{flagathlete|[[Duane Jones (snooker player)|Duane Jones]]|WAL}} 
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Michael Holt (snooker player)|Michael Holt]]|ENG}}  (12)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–7 ||nowrap|{{flagathlete|[[Thor Chuan Leong]]|MYS}}
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Elliot Slessor]]|ENG}}  (53)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–7 || {{flagathlete|[[Eden Sharav]]|SCO}}
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Robert Milkins]]|ENG}}  (21)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–1 || {{flagathlete|[[Aaron Canavan]]|JER}}
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Scott Donaldson]]|SCO}}  (44)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–5 || {{flagathlete|[[Tyler Rees]]|WAL}}
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Rory McLeod (snooker player)|Rory McLeod]]|ENG}} (45)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–8 || {{flagathlete|[[Ian Burns (snooker player)|Ian Burns]]|ENG}}
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Li Hang (snooker player)|Li Hang]]|CHN}}  (20)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–9 || {{flagathlete|[[Ashley Hugill]]|ENG}}
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Lyu Haotian]]|CHN}}  (52)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–8 || {{flagathlete|[[Fang Xiongman]]|CHN}}
|-
| {{flagathlete|[[Anthony Hamilton (snooker player)|Anthony Hamilton]]|ENG}}  (13) || align="center"| 7–'''10''' || '''{{flagathlete|[[Martin O'Donnell (snooker player)|Martin O'Donnell]]|ENG}}'''
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Matthew Stevens]]|WAL}}  (36)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–5 || {{flagathlete|Ryan Thomerson|AUS}} 
|-
| {{flagathlete|[[Fergal O'Brien]]|IRL}}  (29) || align="center"| 5–'''10''' || '''{{flagathlete|[[Yuan Sijun]]|CHN}}'''
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Ken Doherty]]|IRL}}  (61)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–8 || {{flagathlete|[[Josh Boileau]]|IRL}} 
|-
| {{flagathlete|[[Mark King (snooker player)|Mark King]]|ENG}}  (4) || align="center"| 9–'''10''' || '''{{flagathlete|[[Gerard Greene]]|NIR}}'''
|}
{{col-2|scale=5px}}
{|class="wikitable "
|-
!width=200|Player
!width=60|Score
!width=200|Player
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Liang Wenbo]]|CHN}} (3)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–2 || {{flagathlete|[[Rod Lawler]]|ENG}}
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Zhao Xintong]]|CHN}}  (62)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–8 || {{flagathlete|[[Aditya Mehta]]|IND}}
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Yu Delu]]|CHN}} (30)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–8 || {{flagathlete|[[Sean O'Sullivan (snooker player)|Sean O'Sullivan]]|ENG}} 
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Jamie Jones (snooker player)|Jamie Jones]]|WAL}}  (35)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–5 || {{flagathlete|[[Craig Steadman]]|ENG}}
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Jack Lisowski]]|ENG}} (14)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–4 || {{flagathlete|[[Christopher Keogan]]|ENG}}
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[David Grace (snooker player)|David Grace]]|ENG}} (51)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–6 || {{flagathlete|[[Wang Yuchen (snooker player)|Wang Yuchen]]|CHN}}
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Alan McManus]]|SCO}}  (19)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–2 || {{flagathlete|[[Rhys Clark (snooker player)|Rhys Clark]]|SCO}}
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Oliver Lines]]|ENG}}  (46)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–6 || {{flagathlete|[[Harvey Chandler]]|ENG}}
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Andrew Higginson]]|ENG}} (43)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–4 || {{flagathlete|[[David John (snooker player)|David John]]|WAL}}
|-
| {{flagathlete|[[Cao Yupeng]]|CHN}} (22) || align="center"| 7–'''10''' || '''{{flagathlete|[[Robin Hull]]|FIN}} '''
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Lee Walker]]|WAL}} (54)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–6 || {{flagathlete|[[Kristján Helgason]]|ISL}} 
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Ricky Walden]]|ENG}} (11)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–8 || {{flagathlete|[[Joe Swail]]|NIR}}
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Michael Georgiou]]|CYP}} (38)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–4 || {{flagathlete|[[Matthew Bolton (snooker player)|Matthew Bolton]]|AUS}} 
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Mark Davis (snooker player)|Mark Davis]]|ENG}} (27)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–1 || {{flagathlete|[[Sanderson Lam]]|ENG}} 
|-
| {{flagathlete|[[Sam Craigie]]|ENG}} (59)|| align="center"| 6–'''10''' || '''{{flagathlete|[[Jimmy White]]|ENG}}'''
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Joe Perry (snooker player)|Joe Perry]]|ENG}} (6)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–1 || {{flagathlete|[[Ross Muir]]|SCO}} 
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Yan Bingtao]]|CHN}} (7)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–7 || {{flagathlete|[[Jackson Page]]|WAL}}
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Tian Pengfei]]|CHN}}  (58)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–1 || {{flagathlete|[[Li Yuan (snooker player)|Li Yuan]]|CHN}} 
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Kurt Maflin]]|NOR}} (26)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–7 || {{flagathlete|[[Hamza Akbar]]|PAK}} 
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Chris Wakelin]]|ENG}}  (39)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–4 || {{flagathlete|[[Xu Si]]|CHN}}
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[David Gilbert (snooker player)|David Gilbert]]|ENG}} (10)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–8 || {{flagathlete|[[Billy Joe Castle]]|ENG}}
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Alfie Burden]]|ENG}}  (55) ''' || align="center"| '''10'''–6 ||{{flagathlete|[[Jamie Curtis-Barrett]]|ENG}}
|-
| {{flagathlete|[[Gary Wilson (snooker player)|Gary Wilson]]|ENG}} (23) || align="center"| 8–'''10''' || '''{{flagathlete|[[Adam Stefanów]]|POL}} '''
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Thepchaiya Un-Nooh]]|THA}}  (42)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–8 ||nowrap|{{flagathlete|[[Alexander Ursenbacher]]|SUI}} 
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Sam Baird]]|ENG}} (47)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–5 || {{flagathlete|[[Soheil Vahedi]]|IRN}} 
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Jimmy Robertson (snooker player)|Jimmy Robertson]]|ENG}}  (18)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–2 || {{flagathlete|[[Alex Borg]]|MLT}} 
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[John Astley (snooker player)|John Astley]]|ENG}}  (50)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–1 || {{flagathlete|Marvin Lim|SGP}}
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Michael White (snooker player)|Michael White]]|WAL}} (15)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–9 || {{flagathlete|[[Niu Zhuang]]|CHN}} 
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Noppon Saengkham]]|THA}} (34)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–1 || {{flagathlete|[[Chen Zifan]]|CHN}}
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Hossein Vafaei]]|IRN}} (31)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–8 || {{flagathlete|[[Jamie Cope]]|ENG}}
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Hammad Miah]]|ENG}} (63)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–9 || {{flagathlete|[[Jordan Brown (snooker player)|Jordan Brown]]|NIR}}
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Stephen Maguire]]|SCO}}  (2)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–5 || {{flagathlete|[[Allan Taylor (snooker player)|Allan Taylor]]|ENG}} 
|}
{{col-end}}

=== Round 2 ===
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
{|class="wikitable "
|-
!width=200|Player
!width=60|Score
!width=200|Player
|-
| {{flagicon|WAL}} '''[[Ryan Day (snooker player)|Ryan Day]] (1)''' || align="center"| {{nowrap|'''10'''–1}}{{efn|Mitchell Mann conceded the match due to illness at 1–7.<ref name="Qualiresults"/>}} || {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Mitchell Mann]] (64)
|-
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Robbie Williams (snooker player)|Robbie Williams]] (32) || align="center"| 5–'''10''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Peter Ebdon]] (33)'''
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Zhou Yuelong]] (16) || align="center"| 8–'''10''' || {{flagicon|WAL}} '''[[Daniel Wells (snooker player)|Daniel Wells]] (49)'''
|-
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Tom Ford (snooker player)|Tom Ford]] (17) || align="center"| 6–'''10''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Liam Highfield]] (48)'''
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Matthew Selt]] (41) || align="center"| 6–'''10''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Adam Duffy]]'''
|-
| {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Mei Xiwen]] (56) || align="center"| 4–'''10''' || {{flagicon|CHN}} '''[[Xiao Guodong]] (9)'''
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Stuart Carrington]] (40)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–8 || {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Ben Woollaston]] (25)
|-
| {{flagicon|CHN}} '''[[Zhang Anda]] (57)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–4 || {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Martin Gould]] (8)
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| {{flagicon|SCO}} '''[[Graeme Dott]] (5)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–2 || {{flagicon|THA}} [[Sunny Akani]] (60)
|-
| {{flagicon|WAL}} [[Dominic Dale]] (28) || align="center"| 3–'''10''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Mike Dunn (snooker player)|Mike Dunn]] (37)'''
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Michael Holt (snooker player)|Michael Holt]] (12)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–7 || {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Elliot Slessor]] (53)
|-
| {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Robert Milkins]] (21)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–8 || {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Scott Donaldson]] (44)
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Rory McLeod (snooker player)|Rory McLeod]] (45)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–9 || {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Li Hang (snooker player)|Li Hang]] (20)
|-
| {{flagicon|CHN}} '''[[Lyu Haotian]] (52)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–9 || {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Martin O'Donnell (snooker player)|Martin O'Donnell]]
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| {{flagicon|WAL}} '''[[Matthew Stevens]] (36)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–9 || {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Yuan Sijun]]
|-
| {{flagicon|IRL}} '''[[Ken Doherty]] (61)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–4 || {{flagicon|NIR}} [[Gerard Greene]]
|}
{{col-2|scale=8px}}
{|class="wikitable "
|-
!width=200|Player
!width=60|Score
!width=200|Player
|-
| {{flagicon|CHN}} '''[[Liang Wenbo]] (3)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–5 || {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Zhao Xintong]] (62)
|-
| {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Yu Delu]] (30) || align="center"| 7–'''10''' || {{flagicon|WAL}} '''[[Jamie Jones (snooker player)|Jamie Jones]] (35)'''
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Jack Lisowski]] (14)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–3 || {{flagicon|ENG}} [[David Grace (snooker player)|David Grace]] (51)
|-
| {{flagicon|SCO}} '''[[Alan McManus]] (19)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–9 || {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Oliver Lines]] (46)
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Andrew Higginson]] (43)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–5 || {{flagicon|FIN}} [[Robin Hull]]
|-
| {{flagicon|WAL}} [[Lee Walker]] (54) || align="center"| 7–'''10''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Ricky Walden]] (11)'''
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| {{flagicon|CYP}} [[Michael Georgiou]] (38) || align="center"| 0–'''10''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Mark Davis (snooker player)|Mark Davis]] (27)'''
|-
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Jimmy White]] || align="center"| 5–'''10''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Joe Perry (snooker player)|Joe Perry]] (6)'''
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Yan Bingtao]] (7) || align="center"| 9–'''10''' || {{flagicon|CHN}} '''[[Tian Pengfei]] (58)'''
|-
| {{flagicon|NOR}} [[Kurt Maflin]] (26) || align="center"| 4–'''10''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Chris Wakelin]] (39)'''
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[David Gilbert (snooker player)|David Gilbert]] (10) || align="center"| 9–'''10''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Alfie Burden]] (55)'''
|-
| {{flagicon|POL}} [[Adam Stefanów]] || align="center"| 4–'''10''' || {{flagicon|THA}} '''[[Thepchaiya Un-Nooh]] (42)'''
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Sam Baird]] (47) || align="center"| 7–'''10''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Jimmy Robertson (snooker player)|Jimmy Robertson]] (18)'''
|-
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[John Astley (snooker player)|John Astley]] (50) || align="center"| 7–'''10''' || {{flagicon|WAL}} '''[[Michael White (snooker player)|Michael White]] (15)'''
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
| {{flagicon|THA}} [[Noppon Saengkham]] (34) || align="center"| 5–'''10''' || '''{{flagicon|IRN}} [[Hossein Vafaei]] (31)'''
|-
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Hammad Miah]] (63) || align="center"| 4–'''10''' || {{flagicon|SCO}} '''[[Stephen Maguire]] (2)'''
|}
{{col-end}}

=== Round 3 ===
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
{|class="wikitable "
|-
!width=200|Player
!width=60|Score
!width=200|Player
|-
| {{flagicon|WAL}} '''[[Ryan Day (snooker player)|Ryan Day]] (1)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–6 || {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Peter Ebdon]] (33)
|-
| {{flagicon|WAL}} [[Daniel Wells (snooker player)|Daniel Wells]] (49) || align="center"| 4–'''10''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Liam Highfield]] (48)'''
|-
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Adam Duffy]] || align="center"| 1–'''10''' || {{flagicon|CHN}} '''[[Xiao Guodong]] (9)'''
|-
|{{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Stuart Carrington]] (40)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–8 || {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Zhang Anda]] (57)
|-
| {{flagicon|SCO}} '''[[Graeme Dott]] (5)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–7 || {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Mike Dunn (snooker player)|Mike Dunn]] (37)
|-
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Michael Holt (snooker player)|Michael Holt]] (12) || align="center"| 3–'''10''' || | {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Robert Milkins]] (21)'''
|-
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Rory McLeod (snooker player)|Rory McLeod]] (45) || align="center"| 2–'''10''' || {{flagicon|CHN}} '''[[Lyu Haotian]] (52)'''
|-
| {{flagicon|WAL}} '''[[Matthew Stevens]] (36)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–2 || {{flagicon|IRL}} [[Ken Doherty]] (61)
|}
{{col-2|scale=8px}}
{|class="wikitable "
|-
!width=200|Player
!width=60|Score
!width=200|Player
|-
| {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Liang Wenbo]] (3) || align="center"| 0–'''10''' || {{flagicon|WAL}} '''[[Jamie Jones (snooker player)|Jamie Jones]] (35)'''
|-
| {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Jack Lisowski]] (14)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–3 || {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Alan McManus]] (19)
|-
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Andrew Higginson]] (43) || align="center"| 6–'''10''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Ricky Walden]] (11)'''
|-
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Mark Davis (snooker player)|Mark Davis]] (27) || align="center"| 7–'''10''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Joe Perry (snooker player)|Joe Perry]] (6)'''
|-
| {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Tian Pengfei]] (58) || align="center"| 1–'''10''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Chris Wakelin]] (39)'''
|-
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Alfie Burden]] (55) || align="center"| 8–'''10''' || {{flagicon|THA}} '''[[Thepchaiya Un-Nooh]] (42)'''
|-
| {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Jimmy Robertson (snooker player)|Jimmy Robertson]] (18)''' || align="center"| '''10'''–7 || {{flagicon|WAL}} [[Michael White (snooker player)|Michael White]] (15)
|-
| {{flagicon|IRN}} [[Hossein Vafaei]] (31) || align="center"| 7–'''10''' || {{flagicon|SCO}} '''[[Stephen Maguire]] (2)'''
|}
{{col-end}}

== Century breaks ==

=== Main stage centuries ===
A total of 84 [[century break]]s were made by 21 players during the main stage of the World Championship.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://livescores.worldsnookerdata.com/Centuries/CenturyBreaks/14003/betfred-world-championship-2018 |title=Betfred World Championship 2018 – Centuries |work=worldsnooker.com |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |date=21 April – 7 May 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180430232727/http://livescores.worldsnookerdata.com/Centuries/CenturyBreaks/14003/betfred-world-championship-2018 |archive-date=30 April 2018 |access-date=30 November 2018 }}</ref>

{{colbegin}}
* 146, 136, 134, 131, 127, 119, 117, 104, 101, 100, 100 {{ndash}} [[John Higgins]]
* 145, 141 {{ndash}} [[Ryan Day (snooker player)|Ryan Day]]
* 141 {{ndash}} [[Chris Wakelin]]
* 140, 135, 118, 114, 113, 113, 110, 103, 102, 101, 100, 100 {{ndash}} [[Mark Williams (snooker player)|Mark Williams]]
* 140, 126, 125, 124, 121, 106, 105 {{ndash}} [[Kyren Wilson]]
* 137, 102, 101 {{ndash}} [[Shaun Murphy]]
* 133, 132, 129, 129, 128, 124, 117, 113, 103 {{ndash}} [[Barry Hawkins]]
* 133, 122 {{ndash}} [[Mark Allen (snooker player)|Mark Allen]]
* 128, 105 {{ndash}} [[Jack Lisowski]]
* 127, 125, 122, 100 {{ndash}} [[Lyu Haotian]]
* 126, 124, 113, 102, 102 {{ndash}} [[Ding Junhui]]
* 126, 115, 108, 106 {{ndash}} [[Ali Carter]]
* 124, 114 {{ndash}} [[Jamie Jones (snooker player)|Jamie Jones]]
* 123 {{ndash}} [[Stuart Bingham]]
* 122, 105 {{ndash}} [[Ricky Walden]]
* 121, 118, 110, 105 {{ndash}} [[Ronnie O'Sullivan]]
* 121, 112 {{ndash}} [[Thepchaiya Un-Nooh]]
* 120, 109, 103 {{ndash}} [[Joe Perry (snooker player)|Joe Perry]]
* 120, 102 {{ndash}} [[Marco Fu]]
* 103, 103, 101, 100, 100 {{ndash}} [[Judd Trump]]
* 101 {{ndash}} [[Stephen Maguire]]
{{colend}}

=== Qualifying stage centuries ===
A total of 111 century breaks – including a maximum break – were made by 53 players during the qualifying stage of the World Championship.<ref name=qualibreak>{{cite web |url=http://livescores.worldsnookerdata.com/Centuries/CenturyBreaks/14004/betfred-world-championship-2018-qualifiers |title=Betfred World Championship 2018 Qualifiers – Centuries |work=worldsnooker.com |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |date=11–18 April 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180421054331/http://livescores.worldsnookerdata.com/Centuries/CenturyBreaks/14004/betfred-world-championship-2018-qualifiers |archive-date=21 April 2018 |access-date=30 November 2018 }}</ref>

{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Maximum break|147]], 140, 124, 124, 103 {{ndash}} [[Liang Wenbo]]
* 141, 119 {{ndash}} [[Jamie Cope]]
* 141, 100, 100 {{ndash}} [[Stuart Carrington]]
* 137, 105 {{ndash}} [[Xiao Guodong]]
* 136, 130, 116, 100 {{ndash}} [[Yan Bingtao]]
* 136, 120, 109 {{ndash}} [[Mark Davis (snooker player)|Mark Davis]]
* 136, 117, 113, 109 {{ndash}} [[Lyu Haotian]]
* 136 {{ndash}} [[Michael Holt (snooker player)|Michael Holt]]
* 135, 133, 125, 103, 102, 101, 100 {{ndash}} [[Ricky Walden]]
* 135 {{ndash}} [[Peter Ebdon]]
* 134, 122, 103 {{ndash}} [[Noppon Saengkham]]
* 133, 102 {{ndash}} [[Ken Doherty]]
* 132, 121, 117, 111, 111, 102 {{ndash}} [[Zhang Anda]]
* 131, 107, 107, 100 {{ndash}} [[Andrew Higginson]]
* 131, 100 {{ndash}} [[David Gilbert (snooker player)|David Gilbert]]
* 130 {{ndash}} [[Dominic Dale]]
* 130 {{ndash}} [[Stephen Maguire]]
* 127, 126, 102 {{ndash}} [[Tian Pengfei]]
* 127, 114, 111, 102 {{ndash}} [[Liam Highfield]]
* 127 {{ndash}} [[Christopher Keogan]]
* 126 {{ndash}} [[Zhou Yuelong]]
* 125, 108 {{ndash}} [[Joe Perry (snooker player)|Joe Perry]]
* 125, 104 {{ndash}} [[Chris Wakelin]]
* 122, 114, 111, 104, 100 {{ndash}} [[Jack Lisowski]]
* 120 {{ndash}} [[Robert Milkins]]
* 119 {{ndash}} [[Adam Duffy]]
* 118, 109 {{ndash}} [[Alan McManus]]
* 118 {{ndash}} [[Rory McLeod (snooker player)|Rory McLeod]]
* 118 {{ndash}} [[Hossein Vafaei]]
* 118 {{ndash}} [[Zhao Xintong]]
* 117 {{ndash}} [[Sunny Akani]]
* 114, 101 {{ndash}} [[Jamie Jones (snooker player)|Jamie Jones]]
* 114 {{ndash}} [[Zhang Yong (snooker player)|Zhang Yong]]
* 113 {{ndash}} [[Elliot Slessor]]
* 109, 105 {{ndash}} [[Thepchaiya Un-Nooh]]
* 109, 101 {{ndash}} [[Li Hang (snooker player)|Li Hang]]
* 109 {{ndash}} [[Mark Joyce]]
* 108, 104 {{ndash}} [[Gary Wilson (snooker player)|Gary Wilson]]
* 107, 100, 100 {{ndash}} [[Ryan Day (snooker player)|Ryan Day]]
* 106 {{ndash}} [[John Astley (snooker player)|John Astley]]
* 105, 104, 100 {{ndash}} [[Gerard Greene]]
* 105, 102 {{ndash}} [[Mark King (snooker player)|Mark King]]
* 105 {{ndash}} [[David Grace (snooker player)|David Grace]]
* 104, 101, 100 {{ndash}} [[Jimmy Robertson (snooker player)|Jimmy Robertson]]
* 104 {{ndash}} [[Sam Craigie]]
* 104 {{ndash}} [[Fergal O'Brien]]
* 104 {{ndash}} [[Daniel Wells (snooker player)|Daniel Wells]]
* 103, 100 {{ndash}} [[Matthew Stevens]]
* 102 {{ndash}} [[Leo Fernandez]]
* 101 {{ndash}} [[Cao Yupeng]]
* 101 {{ndash}} [[Chen Zhe]]
* 100 {{ndash}} [[Graeme Dott]]
* 100 {{ndash}} [[Mike Dunn (snooker player)|Mike Dunn]]
{{div col end}}

== Coverage ==
The tournament was broadcast live in the UK by [[BBC TV]] and [[BBC Online]], as well as on [[Eurosport]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Live Snooker on Eurosport {{!}} Eurosport Snooker TV Schedule UK | work = wheresthematch.com | access-date = 8 May 2018 | url = http://www.wheresthematch.com/channels/Eurosport.asp?sportid=16 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170617090046/http://www.wheresthematch.com/channels/Eurosport.asp?sportid=16 | archive-date = 17 June 2017 | df = dmy-all}}</ref> The event was also broadcast by ''World Snooker'' internationally on Facebook, doing so for the second time.<ref name="fbbroadcast">{{Cite web |title=Facebook Live Broadcasts World Snooker Championship |work=SnookerHQ |date=11 April 2018 |access-date=12 March 2019 |url=https://snookerhq.com/2018/04/11/facebook-live-broadcasts-world-snooker-championship/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180411054520/https://snookerhq.com/2018/04/11/facebook-live-broadcasts-world-snooker-championship/ |archive-date=11 April 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> Coverage for the qualifying event was also broadcast on Facebook, and the [[Eurosport Player]].<ref name="fbbroadcast" />

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name="format">{{cite web |title=World Snooker Championship Provisional Format of Play |url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Betfred-World-Championship-Draw-and-Format.pdf |website=worldsnooker.com |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |access-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107072435/http://www.worldsnooker.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Betfred-World-Championship-Draw-and-Format.pdf |archive-date=7 January 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="live_Liam">{{Cite web |title=Liam Highfield and Lyu Haotian secure World Snooker Championship debuts |author=Davies, Jonathan |work=livesnooker |date=18 April 2018 |access-date=8 May 2018 |url=http://www.livesnooker.com/category/qualifiers/liam-highfield-and-lyu-haotian-secure-world-snooker-championship-debut-20180418-0002/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508105055/http://www.livesnooker.com/category/qualifiers/liam-highfield-and-lyu-haotian-secure-world-snooker-championship-debut-20180418-0002/ |archive-date=8 May 2018 }}</ref>
<ref name="draw">{{Cite web |title=2018 World Snooker Championship: Draw, Schedule, Seedings, Results, Odds and Eurosport coverage |work=[[Eurosport UK]] |date=5 July 2018 |access-date=8 May 2018 |url=https://www.eurosport.co.uk/snooker/world-championship/2017-2018/2018-world-snooker-championship-draw-schedule-seedings-results-odds-and-eurosport-coverage_sto6716606/story.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508105055/https://www.eurosport.co.uk/snooker/world-championship/2017-2018/2018-world-snooker-championship-draw-schedule-seedings-results-odds-and-eurosport-coverage_sto6716606/story.shtml |archive-date=8 May 2018 }}</ref>
<ref name="wc summary">{{cite web |url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/story-of-the-2018-betfred-world-championship/ |title=Story of the 2018 Betfred World Championship |work=worldsnooker.com |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |date=8 May 2018 |access-date=8 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180509012935/http://www.worldsnooker.com/story-of-the-2018-betfred-world-championship/ |archive-date=9 May 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="day3">{{Cite web |title=World Snooker Championship 2018: Jamie Jones recovers to beat Shaun Murphy 10–9 |author=Phillips, Owen |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=23 April 2018 |access-date=24 April 2018 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43869180 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423235336/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43869180 |archive-date=23 April 2018 }}</ref>
<ref name="MarcovsLyu">{{Cite web |title=Marco Fu out of Crucible but still wants to play despite eye problem |author=Careem, Nazvi |work=[[South China Morning Post]] |date=23 April 2018 |access-date=23 April 2018 |url=http://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2142851/marco-fu-knocked-out-crucible-chinas-lyu-haotian-hints-comeback |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423100435/http://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2142851/marco-fu-knocked-out-crucible-chinas-lyu-haotian-hints-comeback |archive-date=23 April 2018 }}</ref>
<ref name="day4">{{Cite web |title=World Snooker Championship 2018: Ding Junhui and Jack Lisowski through |author=Phillips, Owen |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=24 April 2018 |access-date=25 April 2018 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43879817 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180425004030/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43879817 |archive-date=25 April 2018 }}</ref>
<ref name="Day 2 Summary">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43855570 |title=World Snooker Championship 2018: Ronnie O'Sullivan beats Stephen Maguire |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=22 April 2018 |access-date=22 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422121503/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43855570 |archive-date=22 April 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="day5">{{Cite web |title=World Snooker Championship 2018: Judd Trump beats debutant Chris Wakelin |author=Phillips, Owen |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=26 April 2018 |access-date=27 April 2018 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43907426 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180426232322/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43907426 |archive-date=26 April 2018 }}</ref>
<ref name="OSullivanCarter">{{Cite web |title=World Snooker Championship 2018: Ronnie O'Sullivan loses to Ali Carter |author=Hafez, Shamoon |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=28 April 2018 |access-date=30 April 2018 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43934621 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180428225212/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43934621 |archive-date=28 April 2018 }}</ref>
<ref name="day8">{{Cite web |title=World Snooker Championship 2018: Mark Williams joins Ding Junhui and Judd Trump in last eight |author=Phillips, Owen |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=30 April 2018 |access-date=1 May 2018 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43952342 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180430222813/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43952342 |archive-date=30 April 2018 }}</ref>
<ref name="WilsonAllen">{{Cite web |title=Kyren Wilson eases past Mark Allen to reach last four |author= |work=Eurosport UK |date=2 May 2018 |access-date=21 April 2021 |url= https://www.eurosport.co.uk/snooker/world-championship/2017-2018/kyren-wilson-eases-past-mark-allen-to-reach-last-four_sto6736539/story.shtml |quote=}}</ref>
<ref name="HigginsTrump">{{Cite web |title=World Snooker Championship 2018: John Higgins wins epic against Judd Trump to complete semis line-up |author=Phillips, Owen |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=2 May 2018 |access-date=3 May 2018 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43975971 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180503004442/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43975971 |archive-date=3 May 2018 }}</ref>
<ref name="naked mark">{{Cite web |title=Mark Williams strips naked for press conference after winning epic final |author=Ostlere, Lawrence |work=[[The Independent]] |date=8 May 2018 |access-date=8 May 2018 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/mark-williams-naked-press-conference-world-snooker-championship-final-john-higgins-a8340551.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508105055/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/mark-williams-naked-press-conference-world-snooker-championship-final-john-higgins-a8340551.html |archive-date=8 May 2018 }}</ref>
<ref name="field_set">{{cite web |title=Field Set for Betfred World Championship |url=https://www.wpbsa.com/field-set-for-betfred-world-championship/ |work=wpbsa.com |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |access-date=6 April 2018 |date=6 April 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180407115940/https://www.wpbsa.com/field-set-for-betfred-world-championship/ |archive-date=7 April 2018}}</ref>
<ref name="bbc draw">{{Cite web |title=World Championship: Ronnie O'Sullivan faces Stephen Maguire; Mark Selby plays Joe Perry |author=Hafex, Shamoon |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=19 April 2018 |access-date=20 April 2018 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43814793 |quote=World number 22 Perry called it "an absolute joke" as qualifiers like himself "have no idea when we are playing, have to book hotels and make travel plans". |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180419233644/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43814793 |archive-date=19 April 2018 }}</ref>
<ref name="BinghamBreak">{{Cite web |title=Stuart Bingham: 2015 world champion to take break from game over summer |author=Phillips, Owen |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=25 April 2018 |access-date=26 April 2018 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43894959 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180501095348/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43894959 |archive-date=1 May 2018 }}</ref>
<ref name="cXyM7">{{cite web |title=Calendar 2017/2018 – April |url=http://livescores.worldsnookerdata.com/?year=2018&month=4 |work=worldsnooker.com |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |access-date=5 January 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180106063527/http://livescores.worldsnookerdata.com/?year=2018&month=4 |archive-date=6 January 2018}}</ref>
}}

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{{World Snooker Championship}}
{{Snooker season 2017/2018}}
{{World championships in 2018}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:World Snooker Championship, 2018}}
[[Category:World Snooker Championships|2018]]
[[Category:2018 in snooker|World Championship]]
[[Category:2018 in English sport]]
[[Category:Sports competitions in Sheffield]]
[[Category:April 2018 sports events in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:May 2018 sports events in the United Kingdom]]