Scottish Open Qualifiers - Live Stream

18+ | Geo restrictions may apply | Be Gamble Aware

O’Sullivan and Higgins all square as Trump pulls clear of Williams

Left arrow

Ronnie O’Sullivan v John Higgins live stream | World Championship Semi-Final preview

Right arrow

Williams pegs back Trump as O’Sullivan moves clear of Higgins in World Championship Semi-Finals

O’Sullivan and Higgins are all square after eight frames

Ronnie O’Sullivan and John Higgins are finely poised at 4-4 following a pulsating opening session of their World Championship semi-final showdown on Thursday.

The two greats shared the first eight frames of their mouth-watering best-of-33 clash, with O’Sullivan recovering from 3-0 down to ensure that proceedings were level overnight.

This was the third meeting between the players in the one-table setup at the Crucible – and first since the Rocket prevailed 18-14 in the 2001 final to claim his maiden World crown.

Appearing in his 11th semi-final, Higgins took a scrappy opening frame on the pink. He then recovered from 46-19 down with a neat 50 doubling his lead on the blue, while a run of 58 in the next proved enough to put him 3-0 to the good.

The Rocket was yet to fire, but stopped the rot with a timely 70 to get his first frame on the board. He further capitalised on his opponent’s mistakes with contributions of 54 and 116 levelling the contest.

O’Sullivan – appearing in his record-breaking 13th Crucible semi – looked set to complete the turnaround as he opened frame seven with 55, but Higgins produced a trademark clearance to regain the lead on the pink.

Nevertheless, the six-time World champion closed the session in style with a wonderful 107 clearance squaring things again at 4-4.

Earlier on Thursday, it was very much one-way traffic as Judd Trump establishing a commanding 7-1 lead over a fatigued Mark Williams.

Back in the semi-finals for the first time since his 2019 triumph, the Ace took the opening frame on the brown before two runs of 70 moved him 3-0 ahead.

Three-time champion Williams stopped the rot, but the exertions of his hard-fought quarter-final victory over Yan Bingtao were evident as his trademark potting deserted him.

Trump, who won eight successive frames from 8-5 down to deny Stuart Bingham in the quarters, certainly capitalised. Runs of 54, 62 and 53 gave him a healthy overnight advantage.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ODDS & SPECIALS (18+)

World Snooker Championship 2022 Scores

Thursday April 28

Semi-Finals

Judd Trump 7-1 Mark Williams
Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-4 John Higgins