SNOOKER: Ken Doherty, the 1997 champion, tackles Stuart Bingham in the first round of the Embassy World Championship next month.
Doherty, who was bitterly disappointed to be beaten at the semi-final stage of last weekend's Irish Masters, will be only too aware that Bingham ousted Stephen Hendry 10-7 in a first-round shock in 2000.
Dubliner Fergal O'Brien faces Robert Milkins, while Michael Judge and Joe Swail take on Peter Ebdon and Joe Perry respectively.
Teenager Shaun Murphy (19), who won five matches to qualify for the televised stage of the £1.6 million event, will face Hendry. The game against the seven-times world champion looks the pick of the first-round matches.
Murphy, the lowest world-ranked qualifier this year at 169, led Hendry 4-1 in their previous encounter in the final 16 of last year's Wembley Masters but was beaten 6-4.
He was playing in the qualifiers for the Regal Scottish Open when the draw was made by another former champion, Steve Davis, at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
John Parrott, the 1991 champion, faces a stern challenge in the form of Mark Williams, the world number one and winner of the championship two years ago.
Parrott (37) battled back from 9-7 down to edge past Shokat Ali 10-9 in the qualifiers earlier this month and was unhappy at the prospect of facing Williams.
"I'm a little sick after working so hard to qualify," Parrott said. "I just wanted to avoid one of the top four." Reigning champion Ronnie O'Sullivan begins his title defence against Scottish world number 18 Drew Henry when the tournament starts on April 20th.
John Higgins, the 1998 winner, who won this season's first three titles and triumphed at the Irish Masters, will play Thailand's James Wattana, a semi-finalist in 1993 and 1997.
Six-times runner-up Jimmy White will face Welshman Dominic Dale. Robin Hull will become the first player from Finland to compete in the televised stage when he meets world number 14 Graeme Dott.
FIRST ROUND DRAW
Ronnie O'Sullivan v Drew Henry, Fergal O'Brien v Robert Milkins, Stephen Lee v Chris Small, Paul Hunter v Quinten Hann, Stephen Hendry v Shaun Murphy, Alan McManus v Anthony Davies, Mark King v David Gray, Ken Doherty v Stuart Bingham, John Higgins v James Wattana, Graeme Dott v Robin Hull, Matthew Stevens v Mike Dunn, Jimmy White v Dominic Dale, Peter Ebdon v Michael Judge, Joe Swail v Joe Perry, Dave Harold v Anthony Hamilton, Mark Williams v John Parrott .
