World Championship recap - Ronnie O’Sullivan dominates Ryan Day in session two after Stephen Maguire beats Shaun Murphy

ByPaul Hassall|Mike Gibbons

Updated 28/04/2024 at 20:52 GMT

Hello and welcome back to Eurosport's live coverage of the 2024 World Snooker Championship as The Rocket Ronnie O'Sullivan returns to the table against Ryan Day.

O'Sullivan superbly sinks long last red as he takes fifth frame against Day

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That’s it for our live updates from this weekend’s action from The Crucible.

World Championship

World Championship leaving Crucible would deny future greats the impossible dream

08/05/2024 at 20:45

We are back from 12.45 BST on Monday as the afternoon kicks off with the conclusion of O’Sullivan-Day and Kyren Wilson against Joe O’Connor.

Wilson - aka 'The Warrior' is currently 10-5 up and in the final frame of the second session on Table 2.

See you tomorrow – goodnight!

O’SULLIVAN 10-6 DAY

The black is out of commission tight to the bottom rail, so the pink occupies its spot as a result of the remainder of the pack blocking its usual speck.

It doesn’t seem to bother Day, who appears to have been galvanised by O’Sullivan’s outburst.

It’s a very tidy run from the Welshman who smiles cheerily as he glides the fourth remaining red to the left corner. A pink to middle left and a red to the right corner squeezed between a red and pink dash Ronnie’s hopes of a return to the table and a lovely 75 is the perfect end to a tough evening for Ryan.

TABLE 2 LATEST

WILSON 9-5 O’CONNOR

'Beautifully played' - O'Sullivan drills in long red against Day

O’SULLIVAN 10-5 DAY (13-1)

O’Sullivan pings down the pink hovering up by the green pocket but misses a mid-range red to the left corner and thrashes his cue in anger.

He’s got a very handy lead on the board but isn’t entirely happy with his form and wants to keep a big lead heading into Monday.

O’SULLIVAN 10-5 DAY (0-1)

Ronnie takes on a long red to the right corner but misses by some distance by his standards. He examines his cue tip and pulls a puzzled face.

Day responds with a red but then offers up a dreadful miscue on a black aimed towards the right corner.

It sums up his evening and The Rocket has a half chance to pull away once again.

O’SULLIVAN 10-5 DAY

Day hasn’t lived up to the Dynamite nickname tonight but he does arrow down a brilliant red to the right corner, holding the cue ball to land perfectly on the black.

There are a trio of reds in line sat ideally for the right corner and he dutifully takes care of them, happily playing off the pink to the middle to remain where he wants to be.

There are five reds left at this juncture and it’s his for the taking with the two most difficult near to either flank not necessary for him to put the frame beyond his opponent to stop the rot.

He cues nicely behind the red on the right rail off a pot on the black and makes sure Ronnie won’t return in search of snookers with a lovely, controlled pot down the cushion. A clearance would do wonders for his flagging confidence, but he fouls before he can turn his attention to the colours.

One frame to go and Day will be desperate to nick it and stay competitive overnight.

O’SULLIVAN 10-4 DAY (21-6)

Day blows an early opening but for once O’Sullivan doesn’t make him pay as a slow-paced red up to middle right catches the far jaw on a run of 21.

O’SULLIVAN 10-4 DAY

O’Sullivan is first to show with a belter of a red before a slick blue to middle right leaves him on for a loose red just south of the pack. He fires that to the left corner and cannons into the pack to nudge a few more reds free.

The Rocket appears to get distracted by someone in the audience again and it’s a shaky pot on the yellow up to its home pocket, but it does wriggle in via a dance with the jaws.

He continues at apace, brilliantly screwing off the bottom deck off a pot on the black to blast into the pack once more. It’s copy and paste seconds later as the black goes to the left corner and the cue ball obliterates the remainder of the pack.

It's all about how heavy he scores from there with one red awkwardly tied to the left cushion. He leaves that for later, expertly jabbing a red down the right rail with the rest and coming off the black to end up in baulk. It allows him to take on the penultimate red to the middle right, but he’s unfortunate with the cue ball as his bid to free that via a pot off the colour goes wrong. He tries for a Hollywood double instead and just clips the jaw. It’s a shame he misses the century but a sublime 96 is still worthy of the huge round of applause as he leaves Day way behind him now.

TABLE 2 LATEST

WILSON 9-4 O’CONNOR

O’SULLIVAN 9-4 DAY

Day mops up to the final red and looks to play the snooker off that brown attached to it.

It’s a vital shot, but he leaves the door ajar for O’Sullivan to easily escape it.

Foulds isn’t impressed on Eurosport Comms and with no obvious sign of a snooker now available, it seems inevitable Ronnie will get the job done.

He does indeed, as he sinks the final red to the green pocket and a quick score of five is enough for the World No.1 to take a firm grip of this match now.

O'Sullivan makes superb break to open up four-frame lead

O’SULLIVAN 8-4 DAY (77-6)

Ronnie slams a long red to the left corner but with the black and pink tied close to a couple of other reds near the pink spot he’s got nothing to work with.

However, Day’s latest bid to play safe to baulk sees him clip a stray red to the right and now there’s a half chance for O’Sullivan.

He knocks in a mid-range red but then has to lean into a long yellow to the green pocket via the rest. He has to line it up twice as someone in the audience puts him off mid-cue action. It’s a good decision as he slots it home and finally gets a bit of rhythm.

It's still a strange table with seven reds clustered together near the left side of the bottom rail, but the seven-time champ produces a bit of magic as he cannons into them off a pot on the black to give himself a big opportunity to move clear.

He swiftly preys upon the group of reds to that left corner bag with the black aiding some quickfire scoring.

There’s one red tight to the brown near to the middle left bag but his run of 56 is surely too much for Day, who will return despite being 71 behind with 59 remaining.

O’SULLIVAN 8-4 DAY (20-6)

That’s a beauty from Ronnie as he cuts a tough red up to the green pocket – but then lands tight to the blue! That’s rotten luck and all he can do is play safe in-behind the colour.

On Eurosport Comms Neal Foulds remarks how it is a funny old table and it’s difficult to score. He’s not wrong. Pretty much all of the points have come off errors.

Meanwhile, that trap laid by Ronnie sees Day miscalculate his escape on two occasions before clipping the red furthest south at the third attempt. He doesn’t leave anything on and we remain at a bit of an impasse.

O’SULLIVAN 8-4 DAY (11-6)

The reds are scattered and edging slightly towards the left with the black off its spot near to the pink.

Both players are engaging in a tense safety exchange to gain the initiative to attack them and in the end O’Sullivan has to take on a tough long red that doesn’t come close and sends a bunch of balls flying nomadically in different directions.

Day leans up the left rail to produce a thin cut on a red that flew up towards the yellow pocket but then sees an attempt on the yellow to the same bag catch the near jaw and fly away.

He missed one of those earlier, but this time he’s fortunate not to leave much on for The Rocket.

O’SULLIVAN 8-4 DAY (11-5)

There’s another gasp of dismay, quite probably from a Day supporter, as he clips the right side of the pack and sends the cue ball plummeting into the right corner bag. It's going from bad to worse for the Welshman right now. Can he turn his form around?

O’SULLIVAN 8-4 DAY (7-5)

It’s an error-strewn spell as Day gets an unfortunate cannon off a red into the black and sends it racing to the left corner!

O'Sullivan may not be in top gear here, but he doesn't need to be with Ryan far from his best. He needs a strong end to this session tonight or it'll be plain-sailing for The Rocket when they return on Monday afternoon.

TABLE 2 LATEST

Interval - WILSON 8-4 O’CONNOR

O’SULLIVAN 8-4 DAY (0-5)

O’Sullivan makes an immediate post-interval howler when he somehow fails to nick a red with a routine safety.

It’s a free ball for Day who fails to take advantage when he misses a make-able brown down to the middle right.

TABLE 2 LATEST

WILSON 8-3 O’CONNOR

O’SULLIVAN 8-4 DAY

Watching Ronnie clean up must be all the more painful for Ryan as he knows full well the balls were there for him to leave the GOAT firmly in his chair.

It’s another masterclass in punishing your opponent as the seven-time champ nails a pink to middle right and lands perfectly on the final red along the bottom rail. It could have been tricky but the World No.1’s pace was spot-on and he glides it to the right corner bag to put another frame beyond doubt.

Day can’t hide his disappointment as The Rocket completes another brilliant 89 clearance to head into the interval on the front foot.

O’SULLIVAN 7-4 DAY (0-31)

It’s all about cagey safety to kick off Frame 12 - and it’s Ronnie who blinks first.

The reds are so well split that this is another HUGE opening for Day. He really does need to take advantage now if he wants to maintain a realistic hope of upsetting the favourite for the 2024 title.

He works his way to 31 but again comes unstuck as a red to bottom left refuses the invitation to go down.

It’s hard to work out if it’s concentration or pressure, but Day keeps coming up shy with low runs and it’s allowing Ronnie to get out of jail at times.

O’SULLIVAN 7-4 DAY

Ronnie rolls in a red to the right corner following Day’s miscalculation trying to escape that snooker and the Welsh World No.18 starts to shift uncomfortably in his seat as The Rocket ricochets into a clutch of reds to get a split that should spell curtains.

The seven-time champion looks intent on taking advantage of the reprieve, teasing the final red from left to right middle and it’s routine colours off the spots from there as he re-establishes that three-frame cushion with a 65 clearance.

O’SULLIVAN 6-4 DAY (17-39)

A steady start almost goes pear-shaped when Ryan overruns and needs a cut up to the blue to tease it into the right corner from the rear cushion.

He keeps ticking along but a miss on a red down the left rail via the rest means it ends all-too abruptly on 30. That was a big, big chance too.

O’Sullivan pings in a beauty of a red and then lays a snooker tight behind the brown and Day can only foul in response.

TABLE 2 LATEST

WILSON 6-3 O’CONNOR

O’SULLIVAN 6-4 DAY (3-9)

Did Mystic McManus know this was coming?

O’Sullivan is way off his best here and manages a measly nine before missing a black to the right corner.

Day has another big opportunity to keep the heat on from here.

O'Sullivan makes sparkling break to start second session against Day

O’SULLIVAN 6-4 DAY (3-9)

O’Sullivan tries navigate to safety from the right side of baulk but clips a red near the foot of the table and leaves it on for Day.

There’s a grimace from the World No.1 as he takes his seat and awaits the first run of the frame from his opponent.

Day does indeed tuck in the red to the right corner but it all goes terribly wrong when he misses a cut on the blue to middle left and still cannons into the pack.

The spread is there for O’Sullivan if he can find his Mojo again.

O’SULLIVAN 6-4 DAY (3-0)

Ryan can’t quite get the angle he wants on a tight cut on a long red to the right corner and leaves it on a plate for Ronnie. He clips in a yellow but then surprisingly hits the far jaw with a red to the bottom right.

Neither player has hit a high gear yet but Day will take the most comfort from this as an in-form O’Sullivan will more often than not just pull clear.

O’SULLIVAN 6-4 DAY

Ouch! Day takes care of one red but there’s another big ‘Ooh’ from the audience when one leaps towards the right corner and jumps out.

The Rocket can’t wrestle any momentum his way though and when Day clips in the penultimate red, Ronnie concedes.

O’SULLIVAN 6-3 DAY (8-51)

The Rocket looked surprised to be given that opportunity and he fluffs his line with a miss on a red that puts Day straight back in.

It’s not the most inviting of tables so he opts to play a snooker behind the yellow and brown after scoring nine and gets the foul when Ronnie inexplicably hits the yellow trying to escape.

There are three reds left and two are near cushions with one tight to the black. Still work to be done for whichever player gets in here.

O’SULLIVAN 6-3 DAY (8-38)

Day motors through a number of red-black combos and then splits the pack with a delicious cannon down into the pink off the blue.

The man nicknamed ‘Dynamite (Day)’ remains ice cool steering a green to its home pocket via the rest but then gives a spectator a strange look when he gets a random shout of ‘Shot!’ from a pot on a red to the left corner, that was a bit wobbly.

It seems to unnerve him as a blue up to the green pocket somehow refuses to go down and his run ends on 37.

O’SULLIVAN 6-3 DAY (8-1)

There’s a collective gasp from the crowd as Day follows up an opening red with a weak miss on a black to the right corner.

O’Sullivan steps in to clip in a red and the black hovering over the mouth of that pocket, but then blows a cut on a close-range red to the left.

The Rocket put together that run of 82 but it’s been a strange old start all the same.

O’SULLIVAN 6-3 DAY

The Rocket thunders a red down and comes off three cushions to line up the yellow down to the middle left to get it back on its spot.

A red to the right allows him to screw back to take the mid-table black to middle right and he’s now got a more orthodox set up to work with.

A pink up to middle right is confidently despatched and he’s in the groove now as he bypasses Day’s tally to take control.

He works off the black to polish off the three remaining reds near the foot of the table and some lovely side takes him up for routine pots on yellow, green and brown to put the frame beyond Day and seal it via a superb 82 clearance.

O’SULLIVAN 5-3 DAY (1-27)

It’s a patchy start to the evening as a beauty of a long red to the right corner is followed by a miss on a yellow off its spot.

Advantage O’Sullivan.

O’SULLIVAN 5-3 DAY (1-26)

Day threads the eye of the needle to pass a red by that black but is unlucky that the black spins free and isn’t really on. He retreats to baulk where O’Sullivan can’t quite believe his safety in splitting the pack ends with the cue ball making a beeline for the green pocket.

It's a foul and there’s a couple of long pots on for his opponent.

O’SULLIVAN 5-3 DAY (1-21)

O’Sullivan picks off a red north-west of the pack to the left corner and nudges a couple free. He has a tough cut on the black down to the same pocket and will feel unfortunate to see it jiggle with the jaws and pop out.

O’SULLIVAN 5-3 DAY (0-21)

Day takes advantage of Ronnie’s lapse and cuts a splendid red to the left corner before taking a blue and a red to the other corner to secure position in and around the black.

There’s work to be done in trying to prise reds free of a tight pack but his sharp start goes awry when he gets a tricky bounce off the left cushion knocking in a red to the yellow pocket and then misses a routine blue to middle.

O’SULLIVAN 5-3 DAY (0-0)

It’s not an ideal break-off from The Rocket as he leaves a red on to middle left but the cue ball is tight to baulk.

Day duly misses as a result of the awkward cueing but O’Sullivan follows suit with a far simpler miss on a red up to the middle right.

It inspires a ‘Come on, Ryan’ from one member of the audience.

EUROSPORT'S PUNDITS TALKING UP DAY'S HOPES OF AN UPSET

Alan McManus has suggested there is reason for Ryan Day to be positive as O'Sullivan is not down to the one-table format yet.

Jimmy White is less convinced but feels Day will have chances tonight.

We will see. It still feels like the Rocket looks on a mission to land that record-breaking eighth title this year.

Here they come anyhow. Intros being done and more snooker incoming!

Catch up on the big stories from the world of snooker

GOOD EVENING

Hello and welcome back to our live updates from another hectic day at the 2024 Snooker World Championship.

We’ll be focusing on seven-time champion Ronnie O’Sullivan as he resumes 5-3 up on Ryan Day. Over on Table 2, Kyren Wilson is back in action and leads 6-2 against Joe O’Connor.

The boys are at the baulk from 19.00 BST.

‘The favourite’ - White and McManus discuss O’Sullivan’s World Championship chances

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

That's us for now

We'll be back at 18.45 BST for the evening session with Ronnie O'Sullivan and Ryan Day resuming battle. In a bit, folks!

Allen leads Higgins in tight tussle

To go all Ron Manager on you, that was very much a session of two halves. Before the interval it was scrappy, bitty and drawn out, with the wily Higgins crafting out a lead of 7-5. After the interval Mark then defiantly kicked into gear, winning four quick frames in a row with breaks of 71, 94, 80 and 74. He holds a 9-7 lead, but there's surely more to write in this one. The match will conclude tomorrow evening, and don't be surprised if they're not wrestling in a midnight decider like Holmes and Moriarty at the Reichenbach Falls.

Allen 9-7 Higgins

It's a 74 in total for Mark, who has blitzed John in that mini-session to lead overnight.

Allen 8-7 Higgins (67-0)

Mark lands on the wrong side of the pink, and plugs it to reach 66 and leave a red along the rail for the frame. It wriggles in to the bottom left, leaving Mark on the pink. He's in great touch here, and won't want this session to end.

Allen 8-7 Higgins (52-0)

Here's why Mark can win this thing. His B game kept him in touch before the interval, and now his A game is on display as a two frame lead overnight comes in to view. It's a fourth half-century in a row, with enough left in the open to put this frame and session to bed shortly.

Allen 8-7 Higgins (24-0)

A poor safety from John at the start of frame 16 sees the white catch the jaws of the bottom right, and with reds scattered already Mark has a look at a red to right middle. He's high on confidence right now, exemplified by him stroking it in calmly and landing on the green. It's another good chance, could Mark make it a clean sweep of frames in this mini-session? He's on 24 and counting here, and there's a load on.

We're done on the other table incidentally, Stuart Bingham now leads Jack Lisowski 9-7.

Allen 8-7 Higgins

It's an 80 from Mark to take the frame, and both players leave the arena before the final frame of the afternoon.

Allen 7-7 Higgins (72-0)

Mark almost makes a hash of it with the winning line in sight as he drifts out of position on the reds, but makes a plant to get on the pink. Stick a fork in this one; frame ball pink soon goes and it'll be three on the spin for Mark.

Allen 7-7 Higgins (52-0)

The pack is duly cracked, and Mark lands on a red to right middle. It loops around the lip of the pocket like a wayward Steph Curry three pointer but eventually drops, and Mark takes the break to the half-century point soon after. In his chair, John will be thinking it's gone and steeling himself for a very big final frame.

Allen 7-7 Higgins (30-0)

Mark is purring now. A containing safety from John leaves Mark with a red on to left middle, and he blasts it in to hold for the yellow. A good shot early in the break pots the black and clears a red off the black spot, and this is developing into a chance for another heavy visit. It's 30 and counting already, one good trip into the pack and this one could be over.

Allen 7-7 Higgins

There's been a definite gear shift from Mark since the interval. He empties the table for a 94 to bring the scores level, and that's two big breaks on the spin.

Allen 6-7 Higgins (51-34)

This is good, matchplay stuff from Mark. He pots the red on the left rail on the stretch, and then off the black opens a bunch of three reds to leave the frame at his mercy. The half-ton is done, and it looks a formality from here.

Allen 6-7 Higgins (22-34)

John punches in a red just below the pack, opening up said pack as he does so, but that leaves a tough blue to bottom left to keep going. With a red near the pocket making it a narrow target, John overcompensates and rattles the blue out of the jaws. This could be a telling moment, if Mark can punish in full. He starts his counter, and it's all there for him.

Allen 6-7 Higgins (0-17)

John clips a red into the left middle to get frame 14 a poppin' and follows it up with a nerveless black into the same pocket to stay on the reds. As with the last frame, this looks a chance even this early. The black is on to both corners, there are loose reds and it looks like a good bunch to go in to.

Allen 6-7 Higgins

We're done, as Mark pots yellow and green to put the frame to bed.

On the other table it's now 7-7 between Stuart Bingham and Jack Lisowski.

Allen 5-7 Higgins (71-40)

Mark escapes, and John opts to take the final red and black while they're on. There's a break in play to escort out some banter merchant who shouted out while Mark was about to play his shot; you have fun outside in the cold there pal. When we resume it's now a battle for John to lay a snooker using the yellow.

Allen 5-7 Higgins (71-32)

Careless here from Mark, as he drifts a red offline to bottom right and leaves it in the jaws. It's the lot plus one snooker to tie for John, and he'll have a yahoo at it. Four reds and four blacks go down, before John traps Mark behind the yellow off the final red. We're not done yet!

Allen 5-7 Higgins (52-0)

Mark makes it a half-ton with the black, and a short-stabbed red to bottom left with his next shot takes him up for the blue. Mark is moving and cueing smoothly here; the frame looks nailed on, as does a big ton. That'll liven things up no end.

Allen 5-7 Higgins (27-0)

We're back, and Mark gets in first in frame 13 with a red to left middle to hold for the blue. It's been bitty stuff so far but the balls look set for a more regulation visit to the table here. Mark takes his break to 27 with the blue, and with reds available just above the black here he's well on course for his heaviest visit of this session.

Allen 5-7 Higgins

Mark leaves the green over the bottom right, and picks it up and drops it in the pocket to end the frame.

What a slog that was! We'll be back in 15 minutes. On the other table it's now 6-6 between Stuart Bingham and Jack Lisowski.

Allen 5-6 Higgins (36-66)

John makes 23 in total, enough to leave Mark needing two snookers. He'll go for them of course, and the balls are well placed.

Allen 5-6 Higgins (36-51)

John flukes a red, but doesn't land on a colour. Mark than has more knuckle trouble, catch the high one on the right middle while playing safe, and he's served up a chance. John takes a mid-range red, then the black, and then guides in the tough red down the right rail. He's in charge now alright, and looking good for the frame.

Allen 5-6 Higgins (36-42)

Mark makes 35, before an attempt to drive a red into the right middle goes awry and hits the top knuckle. We're back on to safety, with six points in it and four reds left. It's another gritty, drawn out frame.

Allen 5-6 Higgins (9-42)

John gets to 38 before his break clangs to a halt as he overcuts a red to bottom right. In response Mark picks off that red but lands right in the pack, needing the spider to get out and rest on the black. After another safety exchange Higgins presents a chance at a red to bottom right, which Mark gleefully accepts and he's away.

Allen 5-6 Higgins (0-26)

Frame 12 is up and running, and John leaves a red on to the left middle from his break-off shot. Mark rolls it out off the knuckles, and the white clips the red coming back up the table and goes in-off. That leaves a simple starter from the D for John, and he soon starts letting his arm go.

Allen 5-6 Higgins

Open a window someone, that was a stinker. A little break of eight from John is enough to put the frame out of its misery, and the Wizard is back in front.

Allen 5-5 Higgins (34-62)

Mark drains a long red and then lays a snooker behind the green. John tries to swerve out of it, with the butt of the cue high in the air and jagging down. It needs two attempts and when he does connect, he pushes the red into the jaws of the bottom right. Mark is snookered behind the blue and tries his own serve to pot it; contact is made but too thin, and it sends it over the bottom left! This red is frame ball for John and he drains it, we should be done here.

Allen 5-5 Higgins (29-61)

John makes 26, but with 51 left on the table it hasn't established a secure lead. We're now bogged down in a safety exchange, which is broken when John drives in a long red. He's not convenient on a colour, so the wily Higgins puts the blue safe.

Allen 5-5 Higgins (29-40)

What a mess this frame is. Just as Mark is on the brink of taking the lead he misses a routine pink at pace, but doesn't leave anything. We're half an hour in and there are still seven reds left on the table. Can John step in and take charge here? A miss from Mark leaves John on a red to bottom left, which he snicks in followed by the blue. Both players are out of rhythm, but if John can find it now he could at the least take charge of this frame.

Allen 5-5 Higgins (8-30)

John goes all out for a thin cut to the bottom right. It rattles but doesn't drop, but Mark opts for a containing safety when he returns to the table, rather than the red over the hole. What a strange choice of shot and his safety that follows is atrocious, leaving John an easy red to bottom left. John pots it, but can't land on a colour; in try to play a containing safety of his own, John completely misses the black and gives away seven! What a bizarre stretch of play, the upshot of it all being that Mark is back in with a scoring chance. A red then a pink long to the yellow pocket both go, and this is a chance.

Allen 5-5 Higgins (0-29)

Someone likes a plant! John booms in another one, made to the bottom right, and he's on the pink to left middle. That goes too, and finally we have a scoring chance in the frame. On 21 John goes into a cluster near the pink; they open up, but John can't convert a red to left middle and it's end of break.

Allen 5-5 Higgins (0-8)

Into frame 11 we go, and a few early misses by Mark hands some four-pointers to John. It's cagey and scrappy again, and some ten minutes in the frame go by without a red potted.

Elsewhere, on the other table Stuart Bingham leads Jack Lisowski 6-4.

'It looked unmissable' - Lisowski's head sinks after shocking miss on green

Allen 5-5 Higgins

The blue is off its spot and Mark leaves it as a cross-table stab to bottom left. It's a big shot and he makes it, when John returns he goes in-off when trying to move the pink and the frame is over.

Allen 4-5 Higgins (48-44)

Yikes, John won't want to see this shot again. He misses a simple jab at the brown with the rest, which was virtually straight, and he's served this up for Mark. All reds go with colours, and he'll need up to and including the blue to draw level.

Allen 4-5 Higgins (8-44)

Mark flukes a cross-double into the bottom right, but only adds the green before running out of position. It's gone a bit scrappy here, as Mark goes in-off in the yellow pocket and John then fails to pot a red from the D. Mark drains one in return, followed by the green, but again his positional play is not up to scratch as he doesn't land on a red and it's end of break. There are six reds left out there, now five as John glides a beauty into the bottom left and he's on the brown.

Allen 4-5 Higgins (0-39)

After another plant to keep going, John goes into the pack off the black. It all lands reasonably well, and this is a frame-winning chance...until John accidentally clips the pack on his way down to the black and ends up stranded on the bottom cushion. It's end of break, and a let-off for Mark.

Allen 4-5 Higgins (0-15)

A loooooooooong safety exchange opens frame ten, with the impasse broken when Mark misses a long red and John gets in with a plant to bottom left. It's not much of a chance yet, but could be developed into one.

Allen 4-5 Higgins

A total of 75 banks the frame for John.

Allen 4-4 Higgins (1-69)

Frame ball red is on to the bottom right and John makes sure of it. He then converts an awkward blue to green pocket with the rest, and when John nails the next red the frame is in the bag.

Allen 4-4 Higgins (1-54)

John does go into the bunch off the blue, and he's just about on a red along the rail to the bottom left. That goes, and he's got this break under control once more. A black takes the break to 54, and if he can tidy up two reds in the open from what's left, he'll take the lead in the match.

Allen 4-4 Higgins (1-19)

Mark gets a lone red down to get us going, before John steps in to drill a red long to the bottom left and land on the yellow. It's the first scoring chance, and John starts filling his boots. The loose reds are disappearing and the pack will need a crack shortly to keep this going.

Here we go

Talking's Rob Walker gets the boys baized, and we're underway.

Head-to-head

Mark leads 14-11 in the overall match-up, but it’s worth noting that two of John’s victories were in the only two matches between them at the Crucible.

A coin flip

Before a ball was potted in the second round this looked potentially the tightest match of the last 16, and so it has proved to be. It’s tied at 4-4, and could be an almighty arm wrestle right to the final few frames. The roadmap to Crucible victory is programmed into John’s brain, having landed the big one four times. Mark might well be the best player out there yet to win it, and has two thirds of the Triple Crown to his name. It’s so tough to call, and it should be a thriller.

Let’s get back on it

Right then, to the afternoon salvo we go. We’ll keep you abreast of what’s going on between Jack Lisowski and Stuart Bingham, but our main focus for the afternoon is the deadlocked tussle between John Higgins and Mark Allen.

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That's us for now

Join us again from 14.15 BST for more action from the Crucible.

O'Sullivan edges Day in opening session

Intriguing stuff there. With breaks of 123, 84, 83, 51 and 92 Ronnie goes into the evening session tonight with the lead, but his performance wasn't as commanding as his first round demolition of Jackson Page. Ryan is a live opponent and will be frustrated that he didn't win more frames there, after leaving Ronnie in to clear up three times. Nicely poised then for the second slice of this match later today.

O'Sullivan 5-3 Day

Ronnie can't double the final red so his break curtails on 92. He has the lead though ahead of the resumption of this match tonight.

O'Sullivan 4-3 Day (71-0)

No frills here with frame ball red as Ronnie drops it in to the right middle deadweight. He then pulls out a beauty of a blue, going in and out of baulk to open three reds near the pink spot. That's a beauty, can we get a ton to finish?

O'Sullivan 4-3 Day (51-0)

It almost goes wrong for Ronnie when he fails to land on a red to bottom left, but he picks out a red to right middle and he's back in control. The half-century is quickly in the bank and there are enough open reds here for Ronnie to put the frame to bed at this visit.

O'Sullivan superbly sinks long last red as he takes fifth frame against Day

O'Sullivan 4-3 Day (25-0)

Ronnie clips a red off the back of the pack and into the bottom right to get frame eight buzzing. He misses the green thereafter though, and Ryan has a look at a red near the pack and into the bottom left. He'll be bring other reds into play, but the red doesn't drop and he's handed Ronnie a big chance here. Early in the bit Ronnie opens the pack and they've split nicely; there could be a load on here.

O'Sullivan 4-3 Day

He's enjoying himself now. Ryan pulls out a Hollywood shot to bring a red off the bottom cushion after potting a pink with the rest, and the century is now definitely on. It duly arrives, and Ryan empties the table for a superb 115.

O'Sullivan 4-2 Day (0-64)

If Ryan can hold his nerve here there's a decent chance developing; probably not a frame-winner but a chance to establish a decent advantage. There are five tied up reds near the bottom rail but everything else is on. The break goes to 49 with the black and it's a red along the rail to bottom right for the half-ton. It's frame ball...and he drives it in superbly to land on the black. Ryan's not going to go away easily.

On our other table Stephen Maguire has beaten Shaun Murphy 13-9, finishing off in style with a break of 127.

O'Sullivan 4-2 Day (0-14)

After Ronnie misses a long red, Ryan gets in first with a mid-range red to bottom right. He needs to go into the pack early off the blue, but in trying to do so he figure eights the ball through baulk, down and back again, which means end of break on 13. Safety follows, and it's a bit of a mess of a table; Ryan chokes down another red but can't follow it with the green; he's back in immediately though as Ronnie misses a cross-table thump at a red.

O'Sullivan 4-2 Day

Ryan left the frame on and Ronnie grabs it, with a further 36 to move two in front again.

O'Sullivan 3-2 Day (51-0)

The half-century is soon in the books, but a glancing blow of the pack leaves only a tough red to left middle. Ronnie can't convert it, and is visibly frustrated. He's straight back in though, because Ryan misses a red to left middle off the high knuckle, and leaves an easy starter.

O'Sullivan 3-2 Day (27-0)

Ronnie flukes a red to start frame six, and then fires the green into the left middle. It's a chance out of nothing, but the table is awkward and his break looks over on 16 after a trip into the pack fails to see him land on the pink. No matter; he glides in a long green to it's own pocket! He's in bullish mood here, and with the black soon freed to both corners this is a chance to score heavy.

O'Sullivan 3-2 Day

What a shot this is! Ronnie takes on the red long to the yellow pocket, and absolutely middles it. That's superb, the black follows and Ronnie then empties the table for 83 and the frame.

O'Sullivan 2-2 Day (34-37)

Ryan starts to lose position in his break, and eventually misses a red to right middle to leave Ronnie in. It's a chance to counter, but Ronnie can only add 21 before a cannon on the pink and three reds beneath leaves only a tough red to right middle to keep going. Ronnie takes it on and drains it; he's now favourite for the frame, if he can land on the one stray red over near the left rail.

O'Sullivan 2-2 Day (0-13)

We go again. Ryan drains a superb long red to get us going, but then misses another black off its spot immediately. A bout of up table safety follows, and Ronnie is forced into gambling the lot on a red to left middle. It doesn't go, and Ryan is in. There's a good spread of reds on here and Ryan will fancy this.

On the other table Stephen Maguire leads Shaun Murphy 12-8 at the interval.

'How intimidating it must be...' - O'Sullivan breezes to break of 84 against Day

O'Sullivan 2-2 Day

Intriguing stuff here. Another eight from Ryan makes sure of the frame, and he's survived that early barrage from Ronnie to level it up at the interval. We'll be back with you in 15.

'A wonderful century!' - O'Sullivan makes storming start against Day

O'Sullivan 2-1 Day (16-70)

A poor safety from Ryan not only leaves Ronnie a red to bottom left, but the white also brought out a safe red. There's a glimmer of a chance then, but after two reds and blacks Ronnie leaves a red along the rail hanging in the jaws of the bottom right, and that will be end of frame.

O'Sullivan 2-1 Day (0-70)

After finishing on the wrong side of a red Ryan is forced to go up for the green, nixing hopes a maximum. Bah! He's chugging along nicely, with a half-century soon in the books, but he'll need to open a bunch below the pink to make certain of the frame. Ryan goes into that bunch off the black, and lands on nothing. That was an excellent 70 from him, but there's 75 left out there.

On our other table Stephen Maguire is edging closer to victory over Shaun Murphy, he now leads 12-7.

O'Sullivan 2-1 Day (0-40)

Ronnie goes all out for a red to bottom right at the start of frame four, which rattles furiously but doesn't drop. Ryan steps in, plays another red in off the one that rattled, and he's off. It's a barrage of reds and blacks, five of each, and you know what that combination means...

O'Sullivan 2-1 Day

With his third bite Ryan puts the frame away, plugging an additional 32 to reduce the deficit to one frame.

O'Sullivan 2-0 Day (24-44)

That miss leaves Ronnie an easy starter, which he gobbles up begins a counter. Ronnie's first mistake of the day comes though when he overcuts a red to bottom right, and that's a huge let-off for Ryan. Red-black-red follows, but Ryan then misses a shocker of a black off its spot, bringing Ronnie back in, but then Ronnie soon misses a routine red to bottom right! It's catching.

O'Sullivan 2-0 Day (0-35)

Ryan drains a red long to bottom left and lands on the yellow at the start of frame three, but after said yellow plays a poor positional shots and it's end of break. Ronnie then goes in-off from a safety, leaving Ryan a straight long red from the D. Ryan makes it, and he's on the black. It's a good chance if he can open the pack compliantly, but when going into them off the blue he's left with nothing but an attempt at making a plant to bottom left. It's a tough shot but Ryan makes it, and now this is a big chance...until he cues across a red and misses it by a huge margin.

O'Sullivan 2-0 Day

Some tremendous exhibition shots take Ronnie to 84, but the jaw-dropping run of pots ends there when he can't cut a red into the bottom right. This version of Ronnie - locked in and utterly fearless - is unplayable. It's early in the piece, but Ryan could be in for a tough morning here.

O'Sullivan 1-0 Day (50-1)

Ronnie runs out of position a couple of times, but finds good recovery pots on green and later black to keep going and reach a half-century. This is quite brilliant, even by his lofty standards; another frame looks certain, and very possibly another ton to boot.

O'Sullivan 1-0 Day (22-1)

Ryan flukes a red from a routine safety at the start of frame two, and tucks Ronnie in behind the yellow. Ronnie escapes, deadweight onto the side of the pack off one cushion, and safety ensues. Ryan is bang in trouble when Ronnie leaves him awkward in the jaws of the green pocket, and his attempt to return to baulk is nixed when Ryan comes off the side of a red and straight into the black. Ronnie is on an easy starter, and away once more.

O'Sullivan 1-0 Day

This is a shot across the bows for Ryan, as any mistake will be punished severely with Ronnie in this mood. The table is duly emptied, as Ronnie puts a stunning 123 on the board to take the first frame.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Day (72-16)

They don't call him the Rocket for nowt. The half-century quickly arrives, and it's arcade game stuff from Ronnie as frame ball black soon disappears into the heart of the bottom left. Can he turn this into a ton?

O'Sullivan 0-0 Day (30-16)

Yep, Ryan's in bother alright. Ronnie has piled on 30 in no time, and all this break requires is a few short spin, stun or run through shots to accumulate points. This frame looks certain to go in the next couple of minutes.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Day (0-16)

Ronnie breaks, and Ryan drains a lovely red down the right of the table. He catches the black on his way through, leaving it on as a cut to bottom left; he dispatches that at speed and goes into the pack, and what a split that is! It's a frame-winning opportunity already, but disaster strikes quick; he's missed a simple red to bottom right and handed Ronnie an absolute gift.

Here we go

Rob Walker gets it popping, introducing the players into a lively ol' Crucible. Let's get about it!

Head-to-head

Ronnie leads this 6-2. The pair have met at this stage of the World Championship before, way back in 2006, where Ronnie won it 13-10.

It’s a new Day

Ryan’s back in the big time. After winning the British Open last season he has gone back up the world rankings. Once a top 10 player, he’s edging back towards that and took out Barry Hawkins in the first round here. Ronnie will know he’s got a serious challenge on his hands today.

Can he do it?

Ronnie looked bang in form in the first round when he dispatched the talented Jackson Page 10-1. As you’ll probably be aware, an overall victory here in Sheffield would ring in two remarkable achievements; he’ll complete a victory of Triple Crown events in the same season and win an eighth world title, which would be an outright modern day record.

Doctor's Orders

Morning all, hope you’re looking bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Here we go then with day nine of the of the 2024 World Snooker Championship. We’re right in the thick of the best of 25 matches now, as the second round gradually reveals our quarterfinalists. The denouement of Shaun Murphy versus Stephen Maguire is on this morning and we’ll keep you wired in to what happens, but our focus is on the start of the match between Ronnie O’Sullivan and Ryan Day.