Ronnie O’Sullivan took a big step towards an unprecedented eighth world title in the modern era, building a commanding 6-2 advantage over Si Jiahui in their World Championship quarter-final opener.
If the English star secures victory on Wednesday, he’s likely to face Zhao Xintong in the semi-finals. Zhao, in dominant form, extended his 6-2 lead to 12-4 against Chris Wakelin in their best-of-25 clash.
Meanwhile, the match between four-time world champion John Higgins and three-time winner Mark Williams remains finely balanced at 8-8 heading into their final session on Wednesday.
Appearing in just his third competitive event since January, O’Sullivan claimed a scrappy first frame before Si responded with a superb century. However, the 22-year-old from China faltered with several missed pots, allowing “The Rocket” to surge ahead 4-1, thanks to three half-century breaks.
Si momentarily closed the gap with a 60, but a missed black proved costly as O’Sullivan edged the seventh frame. He capped off the session with an impressive 121 break to underline his dominance.
In another quarter-final, Judd Trump dazzled with his potting skills, notching his 101st and 102nd century breaks of the season to lead Luca Brecel 5-3. Their match resumes Wednesday at 10:00 BST, the same time Higgins and Williams return to complete their tie.
Trump is now just one century shy of equalling Neil Robertson’s single-season record of 103 centuries, set in 2013-14. He had stormed ahead 5-1, but Brecel – the 2022 Crucible winner – responded with breaks of 68 and 128 to stay in contention.
Higgins and Williams, both part of snooker’s legendary ‘Class of 92’ with O’Sullivan, are battling through another classic at the Crucible.
Williams, 50, is the oldest quarter-finalist at the venue since Steve Davis in 2010, while Higgins will celebrate his 50th birthday shortly after the final. Despite their age, both remain top-tier competitors.
After Higgins surged to a 5-1 lead with four half-century breaks, Williams clawed back by winning six of the next seven frames, highlighted by a 104 break in the seventh.
Higgins regrouped to take the 14th frame and edged ahead 8-7 with a 70 break, but a missed long red in the 16th let Williams respond with a 65 to tie the match.
Zhao Xintong is closing in on a semi-final berth following a dominant performance against Chris Wakelin.
Despite Wakelin opening the morning session with a 93 break, Zhao responded emphatically, winning six consecutive frames. That momentum carried into the evening as Zhao moved within striking distance of the final four.
Zhao, a former UK champion, returned this season after a 20-month suspension linked to a match-fixing scandal. Though he didn’t fix matches himself, he admitted to being involved in related activity and betting on games.
The suspension saw Zhao lose his place on the World Snooker Tour, but he has already secured a return next season. Competing as an amateur at this event, he had to win four qualifying matches to reach the main draw and is now one match away from the semi-finals.
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