Snooker: Ebdon will have to defy odds againto retain title

Peter Ebdon defied the odds to win last year's world championship in a fittingly epic Crucible final. His sole aim since has been to retain his title. "I would rather be beaten in the first round in every tournament, every season and win the world championship every year than win one or two tournaments and get beat at Sheffield," he said. "That's how much it means to me."

Precedent and the form book suggest he has a struggle on his hands. No first-time champion, as Ebdon became last May when he beat Stephen Henry 18-17, has ever retained the trophy. Ebdon has also struggled to find consistency since then, something he partially attributes to last year's success.

"In a way I've perhaps not enjoyed being world champion as much as I should have done because I only feel I've done half the job. Winning it again and becoming the first to successfully defend it would mean job done to me. I'd love to prove myself a great champion. One of the things that hit me last year was all those great names on the trophy. It would be the highlight of my professional career if I could achieve something none of those great names have achieved."

Ebdon, who today opens his defence against the world No 63, Gerard Greene, added that he is not concerned about his failure to win a ranking tournament this season. "I came into this season knowing deep down that the only thing I wanted to do was retain the world title," he said. "Nothing else matters to me this year."

Unfortunately for him, no tournament matters more to any of the other 31 players either. And Ronnie O'Sullivan, Mark Williams and Hendry know that winning this year would also make any of them the end-of-season world No 1.

That trio are all in the same half of the draw, with Williams, the world champion in 2000, scheduled to meet Hendry, the former seven-times champion, in the quarter-finals if they both come through their first two matches. A semi-final against O'Sullivan will be on the cards if the Rocket hasn't imploded by then. O'Sullivan is the tournament favourite and is in form, with two titles this season.

In the top half of the draw, former winners Ken Doherty and John Higgins both have the experience to go the distance. They are scheduled to meet in the quarter-finals. Beyond them, it is hard to disagree with Hendry's assessment that only Paul Hunter of the others might make an impact.

The drawback with Hunter is his dismal record at the Crucible, where he has only ever won one match. The in-form qualifier Ali Carter is also likely to be a tricky opening opponent. Hunter, however, already has his post-season plans in place. He is off to Spain next month as snooker's improbable representative in the new series of Superstars for the BBC. "I'm not a fitness person but it will be good fun," he said. It's hard to imagine Ebdon saying that.

World Championship: (Sheffield) First round draw (best of 19 frames): P Ebdon (Eng) v G Greene (N Irl); R O'Sullivan (Eng) v M Fu (H Kong); M Williams (Wal) v S Pettman (Eng); J Higgins (Sco) v I McCulloch (Eng); K Doherty (Ire) v S Murphy (Eng); S Hendry (Sco) v G Wilkinson (Eng); S Lee (Eng) v S Davis (Eng); M Stevens (Wal) v C Small (Sco); P Hunter (Eng) v A Carter (Eng); J White (Eng) v J Wattana (Thai); M King (Eng) v D Henry (Sco); G Dott (Sco) v R Milkins (Eng); J Perry (Eng) v S Storey (Eng); Q Hann (Aus) v J Parrott (Eng); A McManus (Sco) v N Bond (Eng); J Swail (N Irl) v T Drago (Mal).