Ronnie O’Sullivan started his bid for a record eighth World Snooker Championship title with a strong performance at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. He took control early against Chinese debutant He Guoqiang, winning the first five frames and building a 7-2 lead. He now needs just three more frames to win the match when play resumes.
O’Sullivan, 50, is a seven-time world champion and is competing at the Crucible for the 34th time. He produced several strong breaks, including 72, 97 and 113, to move into a commanding position.
World number one Judd Trump also came from behind to win his match. He was 4-1 down to Gary Wilson but recovered well to win 10-5, taking control with a series of strong breaks.
Shaun Murphy also progressed after a close match against Fan Zhengyi. Murphy won 10-9 in a tense finish, holding his nerve in the deciding frame after his opponent missed a key shot. He will now face Xiao Guodong in the next round.
If O’Sullivan wins his match, he will face four-time world champion John Higgins in the last 16.
Young English player Liam Pullen impressed on his Crucible debut, while China’s Wu Yize recorded a strong win to reach the next stage of the tournament.
