Excellent response by Higgins and he goes 6-5 up. Well over half an hour since O’Sullivan potted a ball and he showed signs of impetuousness in that last frame going for a long plant which missed and handed the frame to Higgins.
Clear pattern here of Higgins winning the longer frames while O’Sullivan wins his quickly.
what was he on about?
That shitty new studio they have maybe?
yea could be -that studio is feckin terrible.
6 all now.
Another one there that fits the pattern. Half mistake on a safety shot by Higgins and O’Sullivan wins it in one visit with a 99 break.
O’Sullivan getting antsy with members of the audience. Serious tension in the Crucible, more than there would be for a normal semi-final. This is the first time in 11 years the two greatest players of the last quarter-century have faced each other in the World Championship and it could be the last. A real feeling of historical legacies doing battle with each other. It’s almost bigger than a final and it’s been gripping so far.
Tatiana Woolaston or the old Dutch guy wouldn’t take any shit from the audience.
Higgins is going to have to up his scoring significantly because O’Sullivan is usually unerring when he gets any sort of a chance. Another one visit frame there. 7-6 to the Rocket.
First battle frame that O’Sullivan has won and he has daylight between him and Higgins for the first time.
Disaster for Higgins with the extended spider and O’Sullivan in with another gilt edged chance.
You feel he’s breaking the back of the Higgins challenge in this mini-session.
9-6 and while it might not be stick a fork in John Higgins time just yet, he is fork-adjacent.
O’Sullivan goes for the Steve Davis shot of potting the blue and hitting the pink on the nose to break the pack apart, but he doesn’t see a plant in the reds and fouls. Higgins must take full advantage of this chance to stay in contention.
Uh oh. Higgins misses a black off its spot on frame ball. 51 ahead with 51 on the table. Bizarre choice of shot as he hit it very hard and probably had an easier pink available. He may still win the frame but would have been important for him to win a frame in one visit.
O’Sullivan surely will get a respotted black here. Unbelieveable shot making.
some clearance by ronnie, if he wins this frame its all over
Respotted black it is. And you feel O’Sullivan will win it.
ronnie wins it - its 10-6
Ronnie in command.
10-6
Higgins misses a difficult long pot to the yellow pocket. Surely O’Sullivan’s now. A chance to the middle, and he gets it. That’s the frame that effectively ends the match as a contest.
137 from Williams to reply to Trumps own century, it’s 12-6 the roars go up from Marks fans who still believe. He will need the next 2 frames to put genuine pressure on Trump but he looks back to himself and is capable.