Zhao Xintong produced a scintillating display of potting to open up a 12-4 lead against seven-time champion Ronnie O’Sullivan in their World Championship semi-final. With the overnight score at 4-4, Zhao took all eight frames on Friday morning to become only the fourth player to win a session 8-0 against O’Sullivan at the Crucible. Englishman...
O’Sullivan’s natural showmanship and compelling character have made him one of the most popular sportspeople since he won the UK Championship as a 17-year-old in 1993. His maverick qualities form part of Parris’ willingness to work with O’Sullivan, even after the destruction of one of his workshop’s fine creations. “People just love to watch him,”...
Seven-time champion Ronnie O’Sullivan is level at 4-4 with Zhao Xintong after an entertaining opening session to their World Championship semi-final. China’s Zhao, 28, a former UK champion who is competing as an amateur, showed few signs of nerves having reached the single table set-up for the first time, racing into a 2-0 lead with...
The encounter between Trump and Williams will pit the game’s two most decorated left-handed players against each other in a repeat of the 2022 semi-final. Trump edged that nerve-shredding contest 17-16 against the Welshman and expended little energy on Wednesday evening to dispatch Brecel. Unlike the afternoon session when 2019 winner Trump did well to...
In Tuesday’s first session against two-time Crucible finalist Carter, neither player was at their best, with it seemingly finely balanced at 5-4 to O’Sullivan. But on Wednesday, ‘The Rocket’ was in sensational form, winning all five frames and not letting Carter score a point in four of them. O’Sullivan made breaks of 59, 117, 74,...
Reigning Masters champion Shaun Murphy also moved into the last 16 with a 10-4 victory in a high-quality match with Crucible debutant Daniel Wells. Murphy, 42, is aiming to win a second world title 20 years after his first success but could face world number one Judd Trump in the next round. Against Welsh qualifier...
Ronnie O’Sullivan made his return to snooker and secured a one-frame lead over Ali Carter after the opening session of their World Championship first-round match. O’Sullivan, 49, had not played competitively since January when he snapped his cue and threw it in the bin following four losses in five matches at the Championship League event....
Trump, 35, has won 30 ranking titles during his decorated career but his 2019 victory at the Crucible is his sole World Championship triumph. He defeated fellow Englishman Hawkins to win a second UK Championship title in December, a success that helped him to break the record for the most prize money won in a...
Remarkably, O’Sullivan was installed as one of the bookmakers’ favourites to succeed at the Crucible, well before even confirming if he would participate. ‘The Rocket’ has not competed on the World Snooker Tour (WST) since he withdrew from his Championship League group and was so frustrated with his game he snapped his cue after losing...
Seven-time winner Ronnie O’Sullivan says he will overcome “stage fright” to take on Ali Carter in the first round of the World Snooker Championship. O’Sullivan, 49, who only confirmed his participation on Thursday, has not played competitively since snapping his cue at the Championship League in January. “Because it is the World Championship and the...
Defending champion Kyren Wilson will play Lei Peifan with Ronnie O’Sullivan set to face Ali Carter in the first round of the World Championship as he bids for a record eighth title in the modern era. O’Sullivan, 49, who is yet to confirm if he will participate, has not played competitively since snapping his cue...
Seven-time winner Ronnie O’Sullivan will give himself “as much time as possible” to decide whether to compete at the World Snooker Championship. The Englishman, 49, has been an ever-present at the Crucible since turning professional in 1992 and would be going for a record eighth world title in the modern era. However, he has not...