Ali Carter has warned Ronnie O'Sullivan he is playing better than ever and is well-placed to stop him from winning a record-breaking eighth World Championship.
The pair haven't met since they clashed after the Masters final in January but Carter is determined to end his wait for a Crucible win.
O'Sullivan will head to Sheffield aiming to win all three Triple Crown events in a single season for the first time in his career.
He won the UK Championship in December before overcoming Carter in the final of the Masters at Alexandra Palace the following month.
Ronnie O'Sullivan and Ali Carter haven't met since the Masters final
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They were involved in a war of words afterwards, where O'Sullivan called his opponent a 'f*****g nightmare' after he criticised the Rocket's behaviour around the table.
Carter also claimed that O'Sullivan is not well 'mentally' and said he 'feels sorry' for him.
It wasn't the first time they had clashed, with O'Sullivan appearing to shoulder barge Carter almost six years earlier at the 2018 World Championship.
Now, Carter is gunning to become world champion for the first time, having lost twice in the final.
The 44-year-old has warned O'Sullivan that he can be 'dangerous' in Sheffield if he performs like he did at Alexandra Palace two months ago.
Carter told the WST Podcast: "When I played at the Masters back in January, I was telling myself I was going to win that event.
"Rather than telling yourself, you're going to lose or someone is going to beat you, why not tell yourself you are going to win it?
"I played really great stuff all week. That reminded me that I am a top player because to play well in that atmosphere, that environment, you have to have something about you.
"I know I didn't win it, but we had a really good game in the final, I made the most centuries that's been made there, and If I can take that form into the Crucible with that attitude, then with the sort of game I've got, I could be dangerous.
"Whether I win the World Championship or not, it doesn't matter, but I believe probably for the first time that I can win it.
"I'm not saying that in a big-headed way. I'm just telling you how I feel."
No player has won more World Championships than O'Sullivan's tally of seven, while he has already won five tournaments this season.
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Ronnie O'Sullivan and Ali Carter clashed after the Masters final in January
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But Carter insists he can beat the 48-year-old in the form he is in.
He added: "I believe I'm playing better now than I've ever played, I'm making more centuries and getting down to the business end of more tournaments.
"I'm back in the top eight after all these years because I've applied myself more. Being more professional about practise, about looking after myself and my attitude.
"I think I can score as well as anyone when my attitude is right. I have to work on my attitude, but scoring is a massive part of it, winning frames easy in one visit.
Ronnie O'Sullivan beat Ali Carter to win his record-extending eighth Masters
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"I can do that, and I do do that. Of course, we would all like to break build like Ronnie.
"Of course we would, but there is more than one way to go about this game.
"As good as Ronnie O'Sullivan is, he doesn't win every tournament. He pretty much does at the minute, the ones he enters, but there is room for other players to win."
