ALI Carter gets his World Championship campaign under way tonight - hoping for another run all the way to the Crucible final.

The Colchester-born potter faces Leicester’s Ben Woollaston in his first-round encounter in Sheffield, starting at 7pm.

The pair then conclude their match tomorrow evening, knowing the winner could face a showdown with reigning champion Ronnie O’Sullivan.

The Chigwell icon, making his comeback after a year off, faces a first-round date with Marcus Campbell.

Carter, who grew up in Tiptree, has fond memories of the World Championship, having battled through to the final both last year and also in 2008.

However, on both occasions he was beaten by nemesis O’Sullivan.

The 33-year-old reigning German Masters winner, who has won three ranking titles in total and been as high as second in the world rankings, also made the semi-finals of the sport’s flagship event in 2010.

If Carter and O’Sullivan do progress, they will begin their second-round duel at 2.30pm on Saturday, before meeting again in sessions on Sunday afternoon and Monday evening.

Looking further ahead, the pair are in the same half of the draw as John Higgins - Carter’s conqueror at The Masters in January - and Basildon potter Stuart Bingham.