Ronnie O’Sullivan has taken a commanding 6-2 overnight lead against John Higgins in their second-round match at the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield. The seven-time champion showcased his skill with a total clearance of 137, dominating the session and moving closer to his aim of winning a record eighth Crucible title.
John Higgins trails as O’Sullivan dominates
O’Sullivan started strong with a break of 86 and, despite a missed pink ball in the second frame that allowed Higgins to briefly level the score, he quickly regained control. Higgins managed to win the sixth frame on his second attempt, but O’Sullivan responded with breaks of 82, 137, and 92 to secure the majority of the frames in the session. The Scot was largely on the defensive throughout, and O’Sullivan’s consistent high scoring put him well in front going into the next session.
Former champion and BBC pundit John Parrott praised O’Sullivan’s performance, describing him as “pretty evil there in amongst the balls” and the better player in the session. Parrott noted that Higgins is capable of mounting a comeback but will need to find his best form to challenge O’Sullivan, who appears unlikely to falter soon.
Other second-round results at the World Snooker Championship
- Mark Allen defeated world No. 2 Kyren Wilson 13-9 to reach the quarter-finals. Allen overcame a 5-0 deficit earlier in the match and secured victory with strong breaks including a 140.
- Barry Hawkins reached the quarter-finals by beating three-time champion Mark Williams 13-9. Hawkins maintained a lead from the evening session and displayed a solid all-around game.
- Hossein Vafaei, the only qualifier in the last 16, drew level 4-4 with world No. 1 Judd Trump after four half-century breaks, though Trump ended the day with a break of 115.
- Defending champion Zhao Xintong holds a 9-7 lead over Ding Junhui, having won five of eight frames in the latest session.
- Neil Robertson lost momentum after leading 4-1 against Chris Wakelin, who leveled the match by winning the final two frames of the morning session.
Following his win, Mark Allen criticized former champion Stephen Hendry’s comments on his shot selection, calling Hendry “full of rubbish” and suggesting that the game changes over time, which affected Hendry’s later career.