Tour Championship 2024 snooker LIVE – Ronnie O'Sullivan resumes with big lead over Carter, Zhang faces Wilson

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Ding Junhui 2-1 Mark Allen

Ali lost the first seven frames, maintaining his form from last evening not last afternoon and Ronnie, dialled-in not to lose to a disliked rival, gradually played his way into form. He meets Zhang Anda or Gary Wilson next, and there aren't many likely top stop him in matches he really wants to win - he's still getting even better at doing as much as is necessary.

A delicious recovery-red into the yellow bag, then the yellow - rather than the brown - means Ali can still win. Er, so Ronnie doubles of the side into the corner, rubbing it in, punches down the yellow to roars from the crowd ... then goes in-off. So the Skipper returns to the table needing a snooker; good luck with that, old mate.

Very quickly, there are balls everywhere, and Ronnie has played his way into decent enough form here.

Ronnie steers a long starter into right corner and looks extremely purposeful, a black followed by a lovely cut-back red, driving into the pack and freeing the pink. Ali is not long for this match.

Ding Junhui 1-1 Mark Allen

Here's the thing: Ronnie isn't even playing that well and he's dematerialising one of the tour's form players.

It's so easy for Ronnie in the balls, and it seems inconceivable he doesn't go seven up with eight to play.

I miss the beginning of this frame taking a comfort break, Ali getting in and getting out. Then, after sinking a starter, he misses the blue and pots a red, somehow sending claret all over but leaving nothing easy. So Ronnie takes on a tight cut to middle, can't send it down ... only to fluke a snooker. Ali can't find an escape, opens the table further in the process, and will now do well to get another shot in this frame.

Ding Junhui 1-1 Mark Allen

Ali's breif resistance is halted. Ronnie O'Sullivan is good at snooker.

Ronnie clears the remaining reds, adds a black with the last to make sure, and this is noather to Ronnie - but yet again, Ali had chances.

Too much screw potting a black means a slightly trickier red and though Ali strokes it down, he plays two more chasing-pots before cueing across and missing one to left corner; that was coming. So Ronnie looks to seize his opportunity, and there's nothing onthe table safe.

Ronnie opens the pack but their formation was such that they don't open much, meaning a recovery pot to the blue ... and he doesn't even hit the knuckle, leaving a starter for Ali. This isn't a bad chance, y'know.

I didn't notice this afternoon that Ronnie's shirt has the buttons covered, giving it a subcontinental feel. Anyroad, after two frames without scoring, Ronnie gets involved with a fine long pot off the break, works his way to the black spot, and off he goes.

Ding Junhui 0-0 Mark Allen

Ali tucks the frame into bed and wishes it goodnight. This stanza is essentially respite from his Herculean task tonight so he has a little fun, letting his arm go to make 70 and pull back another frame.

Ronnie puts Ali straight back in, after mistiming at attempt to drop on the pack off two cushions. Ali's on a red, and away again. His break reaches 15 this time and he opens the pack off the black, leaving only a long red to the yellow pocket. He drops it in deadweight, and that should be a frame winner.

Ali's away first. floating in a long red down the right of the table and holding for the black. He's not hanging about, and while his third red needs all of the bottom left to go in, he's up to 31 in a heartbeat. That leaves a tough shot on the blue, requiring violent topsin off one cushion to open the pack; the blue drops in and the spin kicks in, but the white sails by the pack and it's end of break.

Here come the players. Ali has the business face on, while Ronald is looking as resplendent as this arvo. Manchester Centrail is full, and buzzing. For fact fans out there, when Newton Heath FC decided to change their name in 1902 they briefly considered rebranding as Manchester Central, but decided it sounded too much like a train station; they went with Manchester United instead. Anyhow, to business...

But so was Barry this time yesterday. He wasn't playing the greatest of all time, granted, but it's something and he needs ... well, anything.

We'll be back this evening at 6.30pm BST.

Zhang Anda 2-3 Gary Wilson

A terrific 141 gives Ali some kind of good feeling as the players again give dap, but you don't envy his task this evening. Last frame aside, he played so so poorly - after playing beautifully last afternoon - and the chances of him winning ine before Ronnie wins three are non-existent.

Dave notes that Ali's on for a tournament high-break here, so perhaps he can pay some bills, at least.

Ali saves himself the nilling and it requires serious stones to compile a run like this after losing seven frames straight.

Good work from ali, who migght feel a bit less pressure because make no mistake, he knows he's beaten; other hand, the prospect of getting nilled by a long-disliked rival is not whathe wanted for himself today, so perhaps the tension is compounded.

Ronnie directs a starter to left corner and likes it, but the ball won't quite drop, so Ali sends one into right-middle and has a chance to reverse yesterday's afternoon. Then, he lost the first and won the next seven; here, he could lose the first seven and win the last.

Zhang Anda 1-3 Gary Wilson

On 92, Ronnie cues across one, so again no ton, but he's flowing. Ali, er, isn't.

A lovely blue to the yellow gets the crowd going and that clearance at the end of frame five has really got Ronnie going. As his opponent has faded, he's intensified, and how on earth is Ali avoiding a session whitewash?

Ronnie slams a red into left corner that takes him into the pack; "It's a great feeling as a snooker player to know you've broken your opponent," says Stephen. "You just relax and play your best snooker." Easy peasy when you think about it like that, eh? We've all been there!

It's damage limitation for Ali now, as Stephen notes: how to get to the Cruce with the confidence he's spent all season building intact. And as I type, he leaves a chance, Ronnie's away again, and does anyone think even if he gets back to the table, he'll make something significant?

Zhang Anda 1-3 Gary Wilson

Still no ton, but Ronnie won't mind. He's starting to enjoy himself, the crowd are enjoying him, and Ali's having a stinker.

Ronnie comes back too far so tries a long red in search of another ton; he leaps out of left corner ... and rolls into right. It's been that kind of afternoon for Ali.

Relentlessly, remorselessly, Ronnie accumulates. He's starting to play well now.

There's no one more adept at sensing weakness than the Rocket, and he rolls in a lovely starter, safe in the knowlege he's five frames to play with against someone almost unable to beat him, who he doesn't like. You fear for Ali.

Zhang Anda 1-3 Gary Wilson

A run of 50, and Ali, who's only beaten Ronnie once in 18 matches, needs 10 before he loseds five. Er, yeah.

...and down it goes. The next shot, a cut-back black, is harder than it needs to be but he plays it beautifully, getting nicely on the yellow, and this match feels five to over.

Oh dear. Ali misses his chosen ball cannons the yellow and sends the white back towards the reds - one of which is on black cush, so if Ronnie slots it, it'll likely mean the frame. Here he goes...

Ali knocks off the easy balls, building a decent lead, then plays safe - but with the frame still in the balance. And when Ronnie, whose safety game has been good today, snookers him behind the yellow, he knows he's in trouble.

Ronnie sinks a starter and follows it down; that felt avoidable. But Ali jawses his riposte, unable to get anything going ... only for the Rocket to miss a sitter of a pink. Again: the Skipper must capitalise, and if he doesn't, you'd consider him done for. There are balls everywhere.

Ali plays a decent safety but Ronnie plays a better one; it makes little odds, but then Ali, after drilling a decent starter diagonally to right corner, can only make for, his highest break of ther match still only 13.

In comms, Stephen notes that Ali is one of those not generally fazed by Ronnie, "but he hasn't turned up today". And folliwng a slow start to the frame, he goes in-off ... but leaves nothing.

Zhang Anda 1-2 Gary Wilson

Ronnie misses a red to left corner but with two snookers required, Ali's seen enough of this session and retreats to dressing room - or the practice table.

You can't lose the scrappy ones, score poorly, and expect to be comeptitive against humanity's greatest genius - who hasn't even got going yet. Ali must win at least three of the afternoon's four remaining frames to have a proper chance tonight.

Well the good news is he's improved on that; the bad news is that it's only by two, a cut to left-centre catching the near knuckle. So Ronnie gets himself away and there are reds all over, Ali knowing well how helpful a first-session blitz can be: leading Bazza 7-1 yesterday, it was almost impossible for him to lose, though he gave it a go.

Ronnie drains a starter but the white comes back just too far into baulk; no matter. A poor safety from Ali and he's in again, opening a few reds and with the black psssing to both corners. Except he misses one you don't expect him to, though he was further from it than planned, and can the Skipper make something happen? Well, he sends a starter long to yellow bag, and surely he must make the most of this opportunity, his highest break of the match so far ... 11.

Zhang Anda 1-2 Gary Wilson

If Ali isn't careful, this match will be effectively over before he's started playing in it.

Er, yeah: Ronnie pots balls.

Ali raps in a starter but can't add an mote, then Ronnie takes a red from right side to left-middle, a brilliant pot, and this match is running away from the Captain. TMNTPETPUAC is about the black spot, and will likely be a few points to the good by the time he sits down.

Zhang Anda 0-2 Gary Wilson

I hate to say it, but I get the impression both players know how this one ends.

This convocation means Ronnie's next shot is a pot on the yellow. That should do it.

Not to be: he misses a difficult yellow, and Ali remains in the frame ... then finds himself behind the green, with the yellow tight behind the black, all four balls on roughly the same line. If he can't hit he needs snookers ... and he whacks the black, then finds himself almost-snookered, white behind the black and pink partially blocking the route to the yellow.

Using green and pink to snooker, Ronnie gets back to the table following Ali's escape and bins the final red, gets on black cush to address the last ... and slides a beauty into right corner. Black and yellow for 2-0...

He does, though get another chance almost immediately. But when the white lands near the blue, the rest-head is even closer as he tries to bin the next red, he misses, and shortly afterwards Ronnie shows him how it's done. There are still two reds on the top rail, so doing enough at this visit is an ask, and he too can't sink with the rest - for all the difference it makes, an error from Ali bringing him back to the table. So he plays what looks like a beauty, opening the last two reds, but he doesn't quite get position and we're back playing safety.

It's got scrappy. Ronnie can't make many, a poor shot lets Ali in, but again he can't cash in.

As he did in frame one, Ali overcuts a red, and so far he's brought his form of last evening, not last afternoon. As such, the last thing he needs is Ronnie botching a safety and fluking a starter, but that's what's happened. And when he tucks in behind the green, the escape allows him a go at a longun, and goodness me he slots it. As Phil Yates notes, if that part of his game is working well, good luck.

Ronnie misses a toughie to middle, but he knew the whote would run safe or safeish, and it's just in front of the brown meaning Ali must come off two cushions to flicks the pack and get back to baulk. Problem being he cannons the blue, handing Ronnie a starter, and though the table needs work, there's no one better at doing it. However he overscrews potting the blue, meaning a harder cut than necessary, cues across it a little, and now it's Ali sinking one to get away. Even though it's only frame two, this feels a big a visit.

Zhang Anda 0-0 Gary Wilson

A run of 77 secures frame one. It's a funny thing really, Ronnie hasn't played that well this season, but he's so difficult to beat and so enjoying being so difficult to beat that he's winning big tournaments anyway.

Effortlessly clearing a path for the back to both corners, he picks off loose balls, no need to break the cluster, and his ability to nagivate a route through a break, removing the right balls in the right order, is unparalleled.

Ronnie's first go at a long pot and he doesn't get that close, but when Ali gets in, in a lovely position about the black spot, he misses a sitter of a red! That is going to cost him.

Ronnie is wearing a brown-gold short and old-skool big bowtie, Doug Mountjoy-style; I wonder what he means by that. Anyroad Ali spanks in a starter but lands on nothing, then sticks a safety behind the green which Ronnie escapes well. He looks dialled-in here, and will know Ali's never beaten him in a last-eight or better. But Ali's having the season of his life, lead 6-3 in the Masters final and played beautifully last evening, so.

All cordial so far.

A genius in a grudge match? Oooh yeah! Lucky us!

Welcome to live coverage from the Tour Championship as focus shifts to the quarter-finals.

Ronnie O'Sullvan is in action against old rival Ali Carter, with a spot in the semi-finals on the line.

Play gets underway in Manchester at 1pm and we will have live text coverage right here.

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