World Snooker Championship LIVE scores – Judd Trump v Mark Williams after Ronnie O'Sullivan takes lead over John Higgins

It's been an incredible day on the baize, I can barely wait for tomorrow. And if this is what we're getting for the semi-finals, then what on earth is the final going to be like? The Crucible, folks; there's nothing like it.

Join us again tomorrow from 9.45am BST.

Well, what do you say about that? Mark was six frames behind after the first session, and still six behind at the denouement of the second. Now, going into the final session tomorrow afternoon, he's whittled that gap down to just two. That was some show of moxie from him tonight, and he's gone from having a punchers chance tomorrow to a serious chance of going through to the final. As a footnote, the two frames Judd won were with centuries. This is an all-out slugfest, with both players windmilling and throwing haymakers; whatever you were going to do tomorrow afternoon, bin it off and catch the conclusion of this.

There is not! Judd leaves a red on to the left middle, which Mark snicks in followed by the brown. That'll do us, and look at that scoreline now!

Frame ball red disappears, but the insurance blue doesn't follow and Judd will play on needing one snooker. Is there one more dramatic twist in this one?

Mark's back in, and with some shot - he glides in a cut back on a red to bottom right from distance, and he's perfect on the yellow to come back down the table! It's a serious chance, and another gutsy cut back on a red to bottom left takes him to 25 and counting. He's zoning in on the frame here.

In response Judd can only muster nine points, and we soon get bogged down in a safety exchange. Eventually Mark gets a look at a long red near the bottom left. It's thin, and he catches it too thin; that leaves Judd a mid-range red to the same pocket, but that doesn't go either. Mark's left with a longer red to the same pocket...and he bullets it home and comes up for the blue. He quickly develops some more reds, but just as it looks like being a frame-winning chance he goes in-off after potting the blue! There is some serious tension out there now, both players know how big this frame is.

Judd throws the cue at a long red to the bottom right, misses, and he's served up an easy starter for Mark. That goes, but his first bad shot of the night leaves only a long green to its own pocket. Mark goes for it, misses wildly, and flukes the green into the left middle! A show of big shot bottle follows, as he picks off a tough pair of blacks either side of a deadweight red, all with the cue ball near a cushion. This is quite something! It's getting harder though, and he fails to make a plant to the bottom left to keep going and Judd is in.

It's another century break in a quite devastating session of snooker. A 113 from Trump snags a crucial frame and the final one of the session is incoming and, I daresay, huge.

A red to bottom right takes Judd's break to 56, and frame ball blue soon follows. This is a superb response to that barrage from Mark. The session has moved so quickly it's easy to forget that Judd started it with a century, but has barely been given a look at the table since.

Judd splits the pack off the blue, almost sending a red in as he does so. He needed that slice of luck, and this is a serious chance now. If he can win this frame he'll be guaranteed of the lead ahead of the final session tomorrow.

This is getting daft, as Mark glides in another long red to the bottom left. It doesn't quite run for him in terms of position though, as he lands welded to the yellow. From there, an extraordinary sequence; Mark calls a push shot on himself after nudging the cue ball to the yellow, then after being asked to play again misses a thin contact twice on a red that risks him losing the frame if he does it again. At the third attempt he connects, but leaves a red to bottom right and Judd has a chance.

We've got a live one here folks, you'd better believe it! For the fourth time in the five consecutive frames that he's now won, Mark takes it out in one hit. With that 77, he now trails by just two.

It's another rapid fire half-century for Mark, who then glides in a brilliant cut on a red to right middle and then frame ball pink to the opposite pocket. There's two frames in it, and what a stunning performance this is from Mark!

He's knocking them in for fun tonight. Mark bullets down a long red to the bottom right, and he's in the yellow. After the first two sessions, Judd treated Mark to a grand, panoramic view of the abyss; Mark shrugged, fought back and he's making a serious fight of this. His break here is at 26 and counting, and there's a load on for him. What a scrapper; what a semi-final; what a pair of semi-finals!

Dramarama! Judd cross-doubles a red into the bottom left, but then looks on in horror as the cue ball drifts straight into the green pocket. One more red from Mark later and the frame is over; he now trails by just three!

It's decision time for Mark, as a trip into the pack leaves him only a risky long blue to the yellow pocket. Get it, he probably wins the frame; miss it, he probably chucks it to Judd. After deliberating for two minutes he turns it down, and plays safe off the black instead. Fortune favours the cautious here; Judd's safety is poor, leaving Mark a long red to the bottom left which he hoses down. The blue follows but Mark fails to then cut in a difficult frame ball red, and we've still got a live one.

We're underway again, and Mark drains a long red to the bottom left to raucous cheers and applause. I'm beginning to suspect that tonight's crowd have been to the alehouse beforehand. If you had to pick anyone in the game to play unfazed by a huge deficit, it would be Mark; if he can win this mini-session as well, all bets are off tomorrow. He rides his luck with a few canons at the start of this break, but it's ticking over nicely.

Uncle Joe has just called shot of the championship, and you won't get an argument here. Mark gets a look at a long cut on yellow to bottom left. He sizes it up, drills it in, and comes off four cushions to land perfectly on the green! Chapeau sir, for that is simply breathtaking. Then, as calm as you like, Unflustered of Cwm mops up to the pink he needs and he's won this mini-session!

We'll have an interval for 15 minutes now, after a thrilling hour and change so far. You've just got to love this game.

Mark mops up 44, and drops in behind the final red down the left rail. It rattles out of the bottom left and spits out over the yellow pocket. What a huge chance this is for Judd to win both frame and mini-session, but he can only add red-green before failing to land on the yellow. We've got us a cagey one on the colours, right before the interval.

There's a pause in all the fun as a trip into the pack from Judd doesn't work out and nixes his break on 45. Safety follows, during which Judd gets down a solitary red, and for a brief time it seems like we might be destined for a tactical battle. What's this, though; Mark's doubled a red into the left middle, and he's in and has a chance to nick the frame!

Judd hasn't potted a ball for half an hour, but sorts that out by dropping a red into the right middle despite the white being close to the bottom cushion. At one point his break looks like derailing, but a brilliant, deadweight red long into the yellow pocket drops in to leave him on the blue. Superlatives are pointless here; you can't play this sport any better than these two have done so far tonight.

Mark makes a freewheeling 53 before failing to double the final black. The Crucible crowd are loving this, and I think Mark is too; this is just magnificent snooker.

Here's the first plot twist of the night; Mark loses position after potting the blue, leaving only a wafer thin red to the bottom right. He snicks it in, but has a tough frame ball brown for the frame. It's close, but spits out of the right middle and we've still got a frame on. Not for long though; Judd opens the reds up, and it leaves Mark a look at a red to the bottom right from mid-range. In it goes, and Mark's going to win another one.

A delicate tickle of the pack brings two more reds into play for Mark, who then jabs a red into the bottom right and opens up the pack a little more. The pink soon follows to ring in the half-century; this is mesmerising.

Mark sweeps in a long red to start the 19th frame, pots a nerveless deadweight black thereafter but can't then drop a red into the right middle to keep going. He'll get another go though, as Judd misses a long red to the bottom right and he's left everything there for Mark.

Anything you can do and all that. Mark empties the table for a brilliant 137, and he won't go quietly. Quite rightly, he gets some roar for that effort. This is staggering stuff so far.

Mark bags a half-century, and then breaks the pack open with a delicate cut on a red to bottom right that sees the white tickle the pack open and the frame as at his mercy. The standard so far tonight is superb.

It's a chance for Mark, as Judd misses a long, straight-ish red to the bottom right and leaves it on to the bottom left. He pots red-black-red, opening the pack as he does so, before converting an outstanding thin cut on a black to bottom right. As Uncle Joe says in co-comms, if that misses he probably bins the frame. As it is, he's off to the races.

Judd drops in a lightning 120, and he's now seven frames in front. Crikey.

Don't blink; Judd drops in frame ball red to the left middle and he's on the black. What a start this is from him, we should have a ton incoming.

Judd plays a beauty of a shot to reach his half-ton, potting the black and topspinning the white into the bottom cushion to launch into the pack. They've split beautifully, and the frame looks nailed on from here.

Ooh, so close for Mark! After Judd's break-off he drives a long red at the bottom left, which rattles furiously but stays on the lip. That gifts Judd an easy starter, and he's not hanging about here.

The Crucible is lively, my days! Rob Walker introduces both players to a thunderous reception, and we're off. Eight frames then, with an interval after four.

It's a big ask for Mark to turn this around after the devastation of the first session yesterday. He split the morning session today though, and if he can win the forthcoming one even 5-3 then he's got a yahoo at it tomorrow. Judd is a merciless front runner mind, and will be loking to run away with this.

Now that we've all calmed down after that final frame from Ronnie (disclaimer: I really haven't) it's time for a bit more Judd versus Mark. What a sweet shop these semi-finals are.

Right, that's us done for the afternoon, but we've got more snooker coming up for you in just over an hour! Join us from 7pm when Judd Trump and Mark Williams resume their semi-final - Judd's got an 11-5 lead. If he wins six frames tonight, he's through with a session to spare. We'll see you then

Remember, these two were locked at 6-6 at the mid-session interval. Ronnie has won five frames in a row and is now seven away from the final - and believe me, you will not see a better shot than this pot on the red all tournament

Higgins will be absolutely kicking himself. He should have won that frame, but that missed black means he's got a four frame deficit to overcome

Higgins tries to cue the black into the green pocket and it comes back up the table, finishing in between the blue and pink spot. The clip into the left middle is on and Ronnie sinks it. What a session for the Rocket!

This frame has had everything. Ronnie fouling when potting a red off the blue. Higgins missing a black off its spot. Now a re-spotted black. And you feel like Higgins simply has to win it

Another sumptuous positional shot off the final red to get round onto the black, but he does finish straight on it, so getting onto the yellow is tough. He leaves himself at the wrong end of the table, pretty much level with the pink spot, but still strokes it home. Colours added. Re-spotted black in-coming. This. Is. Huge.

Ronnie is in a bit of a predicament here. A couple of times there have been pots on for him, but he needs a black off the red to keep the frame alive. Unfortunately for him, the black is tied up against the pink and only goes in one pocket. He plays the most remarkable of shots on a red though to get round onto that black and pots it. Wow.

O'Sullivan needs to take the remaining three reds with blacks to get a re-spot. He brilliantly doubles the first black, but there's no pot on the remaining two reds, so he plays a very good safety shot

Higgins really needed this - a break of 53 and close to his highest of the match, but he then misses an elementary black off its spot and Ronnie is back at the table. That was frame ball, too. What a hammer blow

There's a cluster of reds that are spread quite nicely around the pink spot and he's picked them off quite nicely. He finishes slightly straight on the blue, but can still pinch the pocket a little bit and play the cue ball off the cushion and back towards those reds

The reds are nicely set for John to make a sizeable score, but he has had a real problem this afternoon winning frames in one visit. A big break here would really give him some confidence, and he's swiftly moved onto 29

O'Sullivan plays that split off the blue and he finds the same misfortune as Higgins did in frame one of today's session as a red comes away from the pack and dribbles into the right corner. Can John take advantage? He's got a big chance here

"These pockets are not generous" says Neal Foulds on commentary as Higgins plays a brilliant attempt at a pot to the left middle. He misses as it hits the knuckle and comes just enough away from the pocket for Ronnie to be able to send it down and hold for the blue in the process. There aren't many loose reds so there's a big split coming up shortly

This now feels like a huge, huge frame for John. Although it wouldn't be terminal for his chances of reaching the final, you don't want to be four frames down against the Rocket. Can the Wizard of Wishaw conjure up some magic and stay in touch?

Ronnie strokes home the blue when on 64 to take him out of sight in this frame. Can he now score a third century? No. He misses the black, but he's already enough clear and Higgins concedes. Three frame lead for the Rocket

Ronnie reaches 46 before deciding to go into the reds again off the blue. It's not the greatest split in the world, but he's still got a couple of tricky options, including a cut to the left corner. The recovery pot is excellent. Now can he add a colour and gain position? Of course he can

The way O'Sullivan has been cueing, that might be Higgins' last shot of the frame, but as is so often the case, it all depends on the split. Ronnie has to go into them early and he plays the shot off the black absolutely perfectly. Frame winning chance now for the Rocket

Two frames to go then, and if Ronnie wins one, he's going to have a lead going into the third session tomorrow. Higgins starts frame 15 strongly, firing a long red into the left corner, but then loses position off the blue as the cue ball runs into the pack. There's one red sticking out - and he needs the extended spider to pot it, you don't see this too often. Big pressure and he under hits it. Ronnie is now in prime position

Not a great shot from Higgins on the blue and that leaves another chance to Ronnie. It rattles the jaws but doesn't go down. He gets a second opportunity with his next shot though and this time it sinks into the heart of the pocket. Ronnie, for the first time in the match, has a two frame lead

An O'Sullivan safety goes slightly wrong, as the green comes down towards the right corner. It's a really tough pot at a crucial moment for Higgins, and he misses by a fair margin. That was a big chance. Ronnie only needs the green and brown to make it snookers required, and he slams home the first before finding position on the latter with an unbelievable shot. The brown goes down before a missed attempt on the blue. Higgins carries on

The green that Higgins put safe on the side cushion is looking a pretty wise decision right now. O'Sullivan sinks the final two reds with colours and then plays a brilliant shot to get close to the green. He can't pot it, but it was a great effort to get there - and the safety is a cracker too

Ronnie is not impressed as another phone goes off in the auditorium. He composes himself before potting the pink. If he can steal this frame, it would be hugely demoralising for Higgins, who had such an imposing lead. The positional play continues to be excellent and he has breezed to 38 so far - pretty much parity with two reds left

There are eight reds left on the table and the safety play continues to be outstanding, with both players finding consistently good length on the cue ball. We're heading for another long frame, or are we? Ronnie strokes home a long red to the right corner and finds position on the brown. Here's a chance for the Rocket

That, of course, is not the first bit of luck that John's had in this frame! Just look at this red from earlier! Anyway, with cue ball plonked down in the D, he pots a long red before putting the green safe

We've seen some good safety play in this match already, but this might be the best exchange of the lot. Tactically spot on from both players, before Ronnie tries to get the red at the baulk end back down the table, only to flick the yellow with the cue ball and drop into the pocket

I have to say, that's a familiar story for Higgins today - getting in and putting up a score before breaking down with the frame still live. He plays a deft safety into the red at the top of a cluster of four, and Ronnie returns the favour leaving a touching ball. Higgins knows he can't repeat that shot, as we'll be heading for a re-rack, which he won't want with such a lead - so he plays a terrific up and down shot to leave O'Sullivan in trouble

John runs slightly out of position when on 26, but he's still on a red to the right middle, and he holds off that onto the blue. There are still two or three loose reds, so no need to go into the pack just yet - but he does anyway, and this time his luck isn't so good. End of break

Ronnie has first sight of a pot in frame 14, a long one to the right middle, but he can't pot that, and neither can Higgins with his next shot up to the yellow pocket. Some containing safety play follows, not made easy by one red sitting between the brown and green. John pots the first red though, and it's a massive fluke that cannons off two other balls and drops into the right middle

It turns out he doesn't need to move that red, he just pots it along the cushion and holds for position on the black, but then he misses that off the spot. Still, it's a frame winning break and he's back in front

This has been a rapid start to this mini-session for O'Sullivan. He pots the brown to move past snookers required and is on for a century here - as long as he can move a tough red on the left cushion

O'Sullivan leaves himself short on a red, but an attacking shot sees him still find one to pot and then he goes into the bunch as well. Next up is a long red to the right middle. It's not easy, but he sinks it perfectly. Frame winning chance now

Higgins misses a pot at the start of frame 13 and that gifts Ronnie an opening red. He takes that and then moves swiftly onto 30. The question is over when he will go into the pack. He doesn't have to yet, with three reds loose, but he'll already be thinking about it

So here we go. The players are back from the mid-session interval and we are back underway

So into the mid-session interval we head, and when they return, I'm sure the fans will be statuesque for the final four frames!

Just brilliant from Ronnie. There were a couple of occasions there where the crowd really grabbed his concentration, but he kept potting beautifully, while the positional play was near perfect. He can't get a century, missing the last red when on 99, but we are all-square going into the mid-session interval. This is riveting - and tense!

A couple of lovely little nudges to open the pack up for Ronnie, and then a nice pot with the rest on a red to the yellow pocket. That's followed by a terrific positional shot off the brown and a red and pink to take him past the snookers required mark

Not for the first time, the cue ball leaves the table, and bounces several times, such is the force Ronnie hits it with, as he pots the black. He gets a bit lucky as the white goes into the pack and is touching ball, but he still has a pot on. Can he win the frame in one visit?

There's one frame to go until the mid-session interval; will Higgins open up a two frame advantage, or can Ronnie level once more? Well the Rocket gets first chance after a loose safety shot from John that hits the yellow. O'Sullivan sinks the red before asking the referee to have a word with the crowd, who have on occasion been told to stop moving when a player is down on his shot. Back in his stride, though, the Rocket pots the brown and finds position perfectly

So Higgins is back in front of the first time since yesterday. It's only a break of 53 as he misses a red along the top cushion, but job done as Ronnie doesn't get back out of his chair. The Rocket hasn't potted a ball for over half an hour

A few nudges and kisses later and Higgins has opened up the bottom end of the table, where five or six reds were surrounding the black spot. There's one red up at the baulk end and two on the left cushion, but he won't need them as he goes past the snookers required stage with five stil on the table

Well. Ronnie thinks he spots a plant, but it doesn't quite go, and the balls career across the table, which looks very different now to what it did 20 seconds ago. Higgins comes back to the table and sinks one red, and surely this time he'll make the chance count?

Oof, that's a poor positional shot though. Higgins runs through on to the cushion off the blue, trying to go around the back of a red on the top cushion, but he kisses it instead and lifts his head to the Crucible ceiling in frustration. End of break - and another opportunity passes by

After a brief safety battle, an error from Ronnie as the cue ball hits a red on the way back to baulk and lingers mid-table. Higgins thumps home a red to the left corner and then plays a beautiful positional shot off the blue, coming off four cushions to get back to the right end of the table. This is a massive chance now

Higgins gets in first again, a delicate red to the right middle. He holds for the blue, but he finishes centimetres short with the cue ball in his search for another red, so breaks down on six

That was the longest frame of the match, not helped by this horrendous run of misfortune for Higgins. Thankfully it didn't cost him the frame

Lovely shot on the yellow from Higgins, using the cue ball to nudge into the green, which goes towards the right middle, where he pots it with his next shot. Brown and blue added and we're level again at 5-5

A safety battle is played out on the final red, before Ronnie plays off two cushions and hits it pretty much full ball. The result is the red rolling towards the right corner, and Higgins pots it brilliantly. The black follows - and he now needs up to and including the brown

Oh my word, it's de ja vu! Higgins pots the black, but the cue ball clips the green and drops into the left middle. What horrendous luck. Will that be as costly as the previous frame? His saving grace is the final red is tight on the left cushion, so Ronnie has to play safe, which he does really well

O'Sullivan tries to pot his way out of trouble with a long red to the left corner that rattles the jaws but doesn't go down. He leaves a pot for Higgins, who then adds the brown and taking the cue ball to the top cushion for a very tough red that he just sinks

A wayward safety from Ronnie leaves Higgins with a simple opening red, and he comfortably gets position on the black off that. There are five reds left on the table now, but two are tied up on the top cushion - both will be crucial and he'll have to move them at some stage. He pots two of the loose ones first, both with blacks, before trying to move them, but it all goes wrong. End of break, but a good safety leaves O'Sullivan in a spot of bother

Ronnie gets another chance after a pretty horrendous Higgins safety, but he can't find a second red so plays safe. It's not a perfect shot though, leaving a long red for Higgins, who clips that home. It's only a break of one mind, as he can't finish on a colour

Goodness me, the cue power from Ronnie! He drills home a red and then the cue ball practically jumps over the pack. He's having to work hard here though as the black and pink are tied up. It doesn't seem to be bothering the Rocket though. He really is cueing superbly - until he misses a mid-distance red with the rest

John doesn't have to wait too long to get back to the table though, as he spots a plant that he plays delightfully. He then runs into the pack off the yellow and is left a nasty red to the left corner which he misses - and in doing so leaves it for Ronnie, who strokes it home

Higgins is first in as we get frame 10 underway, Ronnie leaving him one long red which he plays at almost dead weight, managing to hold brilliantly for the black. He pots that, but then goes in-off when sinking red number two, clipping that into the right middle, only for the cue ball to roll into the right corner

So, almost the perfect start for O'Sullivan, who cleans up the remaining balls with a break of 73. Horrible luck for Higgins though; his split off the brown was so well played - only for that red to somehow squeeze into the pocket. First blood to Ronnie this afternoon though

The most galling thing for John is he's left Ronnie in prime position, and the Rocket duly pots two reds with blacks to move past the snookers required mark.

But O'Sullivan breaks down with his next shot. He had left himself short on the black, meaning he couldn't go into the pack and so had to hold for a red into the yellow pocket, which catches the jaws and rolls back up towards the baulk line. The cue ball is near at the other end of the table, but Higgins pots the very same red and goes into the pack off the brown - only for a red to trundle into the left corner. What horrible luck - he could barely have hit it better

The potting has been good, but it has taken Ronnie a fair few pots to finally get control of the cue ball. A blue into the right middle sees the white finish just below the pack, and that's absolutely perfect. With his next red, he nudges a couple of others into play and all of a sudden he's raced past 40

How's that for starters? Ronnie hammers home a long red, the opening point of the session. The cue ball doesn't screw back too much though, so he's left with a reasonably tricky blue, which he sinks and manages to get the white back up towards the pack as well. He's looking sharp

Get your popcorn ready. The players are here, the atmosphere is electric and session two of this gripping semi-final is underway as Ronnie starts frame nine with a terrific break-off

Judd Trump and Mark Williams shared their eight frames earlier. You can read our report of the second session of their semi-final here.

These two finished their opening session of the semi-final just after 10pm last night, and it was a stunning set of eight frames, with neither player giving an inch. We're expecting more of the same this afternoon!

Hello and welcome back to our live coverage of the World Snooker Championship semi-finals. After a brilliant session this morning, where Judd Trump maintained his six frame advantage over Mark Williams to lead 11-5 going into this evening, we're focusing on Ronnie O'Sullivan and John Higgins this afternoon, and they're locked at 4-4

That's it for the first session of today. Trump remains firmly in the driving seat to reach the final with Williams needing a big evening to have any realistic hope.

Next up, we've got action in the other semi final. It's Ronnie O'Sullivan against John Higgins with the match finely poised at 4-4. We'll be back underway at 14.30 BST. See you then!

A delicious Trump shot sets up "one of the best" Crucible clearances...

Williams ties the session but still has a mountain to climb in terms of his designs on reaching another Crucible final. He knows he has to be bold to have any chance and produces some excellent pots to dig out the final frame this morning/afternoon. A sublime double with a red to the middle pocket that leaves him perfectly on the yellow is the pick of his shots. A tough red down the left flank close to frame ball is downed with aplomb and earns crisp applause from the crowd. He can’t double in he final red and ends on a break of 70.

It’s looking bleak for Williams as Trump blazes out of the traps once more. A break of 17 suddenly turns sour when he bullets a red to the bottom left but lands the cue ball right in amongst the pack. He attempts a safety on yellow – but misses! Williams puts him back in and the Juddernaut duly makes it this time, but the Welshman has a glimmer of hope now.

That’s sublime. Trump eats into Williams’ lead but is forced to play three tough shots in succession to stay in with a chance of pinching the frame at this visit. He cuts a black to the bottom right but doesn’t bring the cue ball up high enough for the penultimate red. He executes a fabulous cut on it to the bottom left but doesn’t quite get the kiss off the final red he was hoping for. Once again he solves his own puzzle with a brown to the green pocket with plenty of left-hand spin to land neatly on that red to the same pocket. There’s a brief moment of concern when he thinks he’s snookered himself on the yellow, but he can just about see it to put it away before cruising through to complete a stunning 80 clearance.

Williams nails a long red to the bottom left and sets about building a significant lead. He seems to do a lot of the heavy lifting with a black to the bottom left that propels the cue ball into the pack. He’s looking in good shape but then over cuts the black to the bottom right. Chance for Trump!

The Ace in the Pack is a whisker away from gifting Williams a lifeline when his pot of a red ends with the cue ball hovering dangerously over the bottom left pocket. It would have given Williams a foul that would have kept him in the frame. Instead, the No.4 seed tickles the black into the bottom right and knows it's job done. A sensational attempt at position sees him come off all of the cushions to try and land on the final red. He can’t quite achieve it but the break of 50 is good enough.

Trump picks off another red but then plays a safety behind the brown. Williams spies a plant off the right cushion. It’s highly ambitious and the crowd are desperate for him to succeed. Unfortunately, he’s miles off! The reds scatter and Trump will surely complete the job from here.

Williams looks to plant a long red to the bottom left corner. It’s a big ask and he comes up well short. Trump puts away the red over the same pocket with the rest and sets about mopping up the ones free of the pack. The big moment comes when he looks to cut the black in and cannon into the reds. He fails to get the desired impact and is forced to abandon his assault with a safety below the black.

It’s not to be for the Ace in the Pack. He executes a quite wonderful long cut on a red to the bottom right corner and then uses the rest to put away the black to the yellow pocket. The shots don’t get much easier as he’s faced with a red down the left cushion and he can’t quite edge it past the jaws of the pocket. Williams nips in and slots way a red to the bottom right and yellow to the middle right to secure the frame.

Trump tickles the jaws of the pocket with a tight cut on a red to the bottom right. It gives Williams another opening and he moves to within a whisker of making it count on the scoreboard. The Welsh No.8 seed uses the rest to sink a red to the bottom left pocket but gets a cannon off two reds on the bottom cushion. He attempts a tough long black to the middle left but can’t quite make it count with the cue ball tight to the cushion. It’s a tough one to take as he’s 58 ahead with just 59 left on the table. Can Trump still nick it?

How’s your luck? Williams misses a long red to the bottom left corner but gets a huge piece of fortune when he ricochets into two other reds and sees one fly into the middle right pocket. Trump would have been in had that stayed out. Instead, Williams seizes the initiative with a brave, long yellow to the yellow pocket. He’s bold again with an attempt to break into the pack but he’s used up all of his luck it seems! The break ends at 19 as the black blocks his path to the open red near the bottom cushion.

That’s more like it! The veteran three-time champion slots a super red to the middle left and gets a well-paced rebound off the bottom cushion to engineer a perfect cannon off two reds that opens up the black. It’s a worthy catalyst for a much-needed response to the Trump onslaught. As the Welshman’s break approaches the half century he’s faced with a miss-able long red to the yellow pocket but he keeps his nerve to coolly guide it down and stay on course. From there he finds top form and even chucks in an unorthodox attempt at a long pink that earns a chuckle from the crowd. He duly misses but it doesn’t matter as his break of 119 – the third century in a row – sees him head into the mid-session interval on a positive note.

Trump sizzles another mid-table red to that bottom right corner. It maintains his impressive 89 percent long pot conversion but doesn’t pave the way for another ominous break. Instead, he opts for safety and once again comes out on top. Williams looks in all sorts of trouble but finally gets some respite when Trump surprisingly misses a long red to the bottom corner. The spectators break their silence to urge the Welshman to take advantage. They want to see more of a battle here and not just a Trump masterclass.

Williams fouls with two failed attempts to escape a snooker from baulk and leaves a red on the bottom cushion. It tempts an in-form Trump to jump back into potting action and he beautifully nudges it into the right pocket. He lands neatly on the black and Williams begins to get comfortable in his seat once again. He’s not coming back to the table in this frame. Trump smoothly eases through the gears, efficiently moving beyond frame ball to clock up back-to-back century clearances (100).

Wow! A tough red from mid-table with the cue ball close to baulk sizzles with unerring accuracy to the bottom right pocket to ensure Trump maintains his momentum following that century. It’s followed by an update of his stats that notes it is his 15th conversion of a long pot from his 17th attempt.

He builds a decent lead but has to work hard to keep position with a pink to the middle left. Eventually he asks too much of himself with a tough cut on a red to the bottom left that doesn’t quite make it.

Trump is bold with his safety and boy does it pay off handsomely. Williams looks to have the upper hand in the early exchanges but he’s first to blink and the 2019 champion drills a red from the right cushion to the bottom left corner. The touch off the left cushion tees him up nicely for the black. A red and a pink follow with another cannon opening up the pack to provide him with a frame-winning position. The Ace in the Pack really gets his mojo flowing as he breezes through to complete a sublime 114 clearance.

Trump looks to shake off that sluggish start and is first to build after Williams catches the blue off the break. The Juddernaut cuts a black into the bottom left with extra venom but his cannon into the pack doesn’t go to plan. He attempts to recover position with a long red to the bottom left but he doesn’t quite get the bounce off the bottom cushion he wanted. The black just isn’t on and he’s forced to play a safety.

It’s far from vintage Williams but he just about does enough to reduce the arrears. He knew he needed to make a strong start and while this opener was rather twitchy from both players, it’s job done and provides a potential platform. He’s some way from a clearance when he misses a red to the middle right but the break of 33 is enough to see Trump concede.

You could put together a montage of expressions of disbelief from Mark already this morning. He controls the cue ball quite brilliantly from the green pocket right down to the bottom left to tuck a red neatly into the pocket. He’s on the black close to the same corner but somehow misses it after putting all of his concentration into trying to ricochet into a cluster of reds nearby. Trump steps up but fails to take advantage. Can Williams make it count this time around?

That delightful safety leaves Trump with few options and Williams is soon back at the table rolling through red and black combos. He looks on course to clinch the frame at this visit but inexplicably blows a black to the bottom left to end the break on 33.

Ouch. Trump attempts a safety from baulk close to the yellow ball but after clipping the pack of reds and two cushions, he can only look on in horror as the cue ball slowly rolls into the yellow pocket. It’s a foul and an early chance for Williams. The Welsh potting machine cuts a red to the bottom left but immediately runs out of position. He’s up on the baulk cushion and plays a tidy safety by tucking the white behind the yellow.

Ready for some more semi-final snooker action? We’re kicking off with Judd Trump’s battle with three-time champion Mark Williams. The Welshman has it all to do and comes into this session desperately needing to make some inroads on the Juddernaut’s 7-1 lead. Can he do it? We’ll soon find out as Day 14 is about to commence!

Ronnie O’Sullivan’s has claimed he does not care if he loses his World Championship semi-final to John Higgins.

After fighting back from three frames down to level the contest at 4-4 after the first session, O’Sullivan invited the Eurosport cameras into his dressing room.

The world No. 1 said he is treating every day as a holiday, life is fantastic and that he does not care about the outcome of the match - despite smashing his cue on the floor in fury after running out of position.

“I don’t actually care to be honest with you, I’m just here to enjoy myself," he told Eurosport. "If I get beat 17-4 I’m just going to have fun, enjoy it. That’s my motto. Life has to be good, life has to be fun. It’s just a game of snooker. I’m really delighted to be here.”

Asked if he was having fun once he got going, he added: “Even if it’s absolutely horrendous, I’m still having fun, because basically I’m on a holiday 365 days a year. Every day is a holiday. It’s great when you can treat everything like a holiday! The holiday continues, I’m having fun.

“I don’t actually want it to end. The Seniors is on next week so I’m thinking about coming back for that because the shop’s still open. I just don’t want to go home, I’m actually quite frustrated and I’ve looked at the calendar and there isn’t enough tournaments. I’m absolutely devastated.”

Eurosport expert Jimmy White wasn't buying any of it...

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