Judd Trump, snooker's rising star, is desperate to be considered a genuine contender for this year's World Championships at the Crucible.

He lost his mentor to cancer, his wife miscarried and he was diagnosed with depression. Now the Scottish cueman has rediscovered his zest for life

As World Championship begins, veteran urges O'Sullivan to play the underdog as best means to sharpen his appetite for winning

'The next O'Sullivan' is in fine form and could cause Neil Robertson some lost sleep ahead of their Crucible match, he tells Neil Goulding

I'm feeling jealous. Dawn Fry has a chocolate-making factory in her garden. Hidden in her shed. Actually, it's more of a summer house, with pretty gingham curtains and proper lead flashings over the windows made by her blacksmith husband Joe. But it's a chocolate factory, all right. Jars full of cocoa solids line the dresser, while an electronic warmer keeps the mixture at exactly the right temperature for working. And the air is full of the scent of melty chocolate, which leaves us all in a bit of a trance. "It's very relaxing, that smell," explains Dawn. "People come here for the day, they start off and then they get all noddy, and start telling you all kinds of secrets."

World no 1 John Higgins was knocked out of the China Open at the quarter-final stage yesterday, falling to former world champion Shaun Murphy.

Ronnie O'Sullivan has cast fresh doubt over his future after another dismal defeat at the China Open. Since early December, the former world champion has lost in the first round at the UK Championship, Wembley Masters, Welsh Open and now in Beijing. He also withdrew from the German Masters, and has slumped to 10th in the world rankings.

Ronnie O'Sullivan cast fresh doubt over his snooker future after another dismal defeat at the Bank of Beijing China Open.

Ronnie O'Sullivan and John Higgins have been handed tough-looking first-round draws for the World Snooker Championship. O'Sullivan, who has fallen to 10th in the rankings, faces the Welshman Dominic Dale, while the world No 1 Higgins takes on Stephen Lee.

One of the world's best snooker players but also a gambling addict who squandered £500,000, he put his young family through hell, sent his career into a tailspin and even contemplated suicide. Hector Nunns meets Mark King

Steve Davis has revealed his fears that Ronnie O'Sullivan's career has reached a dangerous crossroads, and insists that only a swift rediscovery of the joy of competition can prevent a misfiring "Rocket" from losing touch with his rivals.

World number one John Higgins has withdrawn from the German Masters in Berlin following the death of his father. John Snr passed away yesterday after a long battle with cancer.

China's Ding Junhui was victorious in the first all-Asian major snooker final as he brushed aside Marco Fu, of Hong Kong, to win the Masters here last night.

Neil Robertson declared Mark Allen the favourite for the Ladbroke Mobile Masters after the Northern Ireland man ousted the world champion to reach the semi-finals.