World ranking: 56
Provisional ranking: 52
Date of birth: 12.06.81
World Championship best: Debut

David Gilbert is a surprise qualifier for this year's World Championship, having only qualified for one ranking event previously in his career.

The Derby-born potter defeated two former Crucible qualifiers in Gerard Greene and Mark King to make it to Sheffield just months after his best-ever performance in a ranking event when he reached the second round of the Welsh Open.

He lost in Newport to Steve Davis 5-0, and it is the manner of the defeats he has been suffering this season which will worry him ahead of his daunting clash with Stephen Hendry.

Gilbert has lost 5-0 to Davis, James Wattana and Ian Preece and also suffered a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Michael Judge in the final qualifier for the Northern Ireland Trophy.

However, he showed what he is capable of in the World Championship qualifiers and will take heart from Nigel Bond's shock win over Hendry in the first round last year.

Prediction: First round.