Ronnie O'Sullivan

Ronnie O'Sullivan built a commanding lead in his World Championship quarter-final against Stephen Maguire after a scrappy first session.

Maguire doubled in a red after moving ahead but also potted the white. A lengthy safety battle leftall the reds end up clustered in one corner and three colours in another corner. World Championship

O'Sullivan benefited from an error-strewn display from Stephen Maguire to open up a 6-2 lead following their opening session.

Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark Williams took command of their respective quarter-finals on day 11 of the World Championship in Sheffield. Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark Williams each take command of their quarter-finals During Tuesday’s afternoon matches, Judd Trump and John Higgins both came out on top in the opening sessions of their respective quarter-finals.

Ronnie O'Sullivan is on the verge of a 12th World Championship semi-final having surged into an 11-5 lead over Stephen Maguire at the Crucible.

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O'Sullivan was in scintillating form on Friday as he racked-up a 12-4 lead over Mark Allen in their round of 16 match at the Crucible, before cementing victory ...

And the final last eight encounter sees Jack Lisowski face four-time winner John Higgins. And his snooker dominance certainly doesn’t appear to be on the wane at the age of 46. Ronnie O’Sullivan is playing the first session of his World Snooker Championship quarter-final against Stephen Maguire this morning as he looks to take one step closer to landing a record-equalling seventh title.

Ronnie O'Sullivan is up against Stephen Maguire and Yan Bingtao faces Mark Williams in the morning session while Judd Trump takes on Stuart Bingham and John ...

He meets Stephen Maguire - the qualifier Stephen Maguire! - and what a sign of strength in depth that is - in a match that looks extremely tasty. Ronnie, it must be said, is looking very strong and so is Mark J - but the best player in the first week is rarely the best player at the end of the second week, and Judd has plenty of room for improvement while Yan is so difficult to beat and Jack is in the form of his life. He's got a bit of angle but needs to play it at pace and can't force it down; surely this will now, at last, be the frame? Stephen then rockets in a tremendous starter - where's that been all morning - but it only gets him one before Ronnie extends his lead further but not conclusively in what's turning into yet another scrappy one. Ronnie is at the table potting balls, and there's a chance this match will be effectively done by the end of the session. He must make this count - 6-2 and the first two tonight and in he's in the match, 7-1 and he's absolutely diddled. This allows Ballrun to clip a red to right-middle, a helpful flick off the knuckle leaves him on the black, and this is a chance. Before he can get to the high-value colours he has to platy safe, and a decent riposte from Stephen sets him up for a fine opener next visit. Again, he misses a ball he shouldn't - a frame-ball pink to left corner - the frame is still alive, though the way the table is, it'll be something if Stephen can resolve it. The old man is at the table, leading 7-4 and looking good. Stephen worked so hard in the safety battle, but this is a game of fractions and he's not currently finding his common denominator. Stephen tries to pinch a bit of pocket on the pink ... can he see the next red, also frame-ball?

Ronnie O'Sullivan's charge at the World Championship was briefly held up by an unlikely intruder on Tuesday evening. The Rocket returned for the second ...

Hang on!" "Oh, goodness me! World Championship

Ronnie O'Sullivan insisted 'I'm no superstar' after cruising into the Crucible semi-finals for a record 13th time, beating Stephen Maguire 13-5.

Ronnie O'Sullivan quickly wrapped up an impressive win over Stephen Maguire to reach the semi-finals of the World Snooker Championship.

Stephen Hendry cannot see anyone even competing with Ronnie O'Sullivan at this year's World Snooker Championship, if he continues the superb form he has ...

‘That’s probably the best and most clinical he’s been in the whole match,’ said the seven-time world champion. There’s been no one like him and we will probably not see anyone ever again that’s got that cue ball control. Hendry was mesmerised by the final break of the match, believing it illustrated how the Rocket has taken snooker to a new level beyond anyone else.

Ronnie O'Sullivan has taken snooker to a new level since turning professional in 1992, according to seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry.

"It is very tense in the two-table set-up, but when it goes to the one table you can relax a bit more," said O'Sullivan. "You get the venue to yourself. "It really wasn't great and I had to get that done," he said. "I think this venue is hard. Steve Davis did that, but he took it to another level." "He’s just supreme in all departments. We're not superstars when there are three of you.

Ronnie O'Sullivan wasted little time in closing out his quarter-final win over Stephen Maguire, polishing off two frames on Wednesday morning to complete a ...

"He was the Tiger Woods of snooker. When it comes to the one-table set-up you can relax a bit more, you've got the venue to yourself. O'Sullivan told the BBC afterwards: "It was workmanlike more than flowing.

Ronnie O'Sullivan only needs two frames to finish off Stephen Maguire (10:00 BST), while Mark Williams and Yan Bingtao (14:30) are locked at 8-8 heading into ...

The Rocket rockets in a long red to right corner off Stephen's break, follows it with a black, but runs out of position. Ronnie wobbles in a red to left corner that means the next pot will have to be a blue to the green pocket ... and he takes it off the set. It took longer than it might've done - the story of this match so far - but Bingham wins frame one to close the gap. He opts for a cut-back to left-middle but misses it, and Judd gets away with a diagonal glide to right corner. Judd's break clips the blue, but he gets away with it ... only to miss a long one to left corner and leave Stuart a selection. But getting straight on a red, he needs to force it with the rest because he needs to go down the table for a colour, unable to get on the black ... and he jawses it! Trying to coax a red along the top cushion, Judd jawses it, and Dominic notes that his problem isn't just one of confidence but of technique which of course feeds into confidence. Judd takes on a red to right corner and misses, attacking the balls with none of his usual conviction. He does, it doesn't work out, so he plays down the table and close to the baulk cushion. A third half-century in a row from Stuart gives him a sweep of the mini-sesh, and Judd needs to sort himself, quickly. That wasn't a great effort and he's not got away with it, but at some point Stuart will need to crack the pack, the frame likely decided by how that goes. All of a sudden he can't miss, and it's going to be a best of nine to decide who reaches the one table situation.

RONNIE O'SULLIVAN once infuriated chief Barry Hearn after he actively turned down the opportunity to hit a 147.

He said: “I was just having a bit of fun, you see. I don’t see why we have to take everything so seriously these days.” O’Sullivan, chasing a record-equalling seventh Crucible title in the modern era, will now face either Judd Trump or Stuart Bingham for a place in the final. Asked if he had deprived paying fans of seeing him make a 147, he said: “If you had told me before the game I was going to make a 146 and do that, they’d have probably bought a ticket on the back of that. “It was just a bit of fun, a bit of a laugh, I just hope everybody sees it in that way. The world No1 led 11-5 overnight, and completed final breaks of 71 and 126 to secure his place in the last four in just 19 minutes.

English duo Ronnie OSullivan and Mark Williams both stormed into commanding leads in their respective quarter-finals, while Judd Trump also started ...

With a spot in the semi-finals up for grabs, play will resume with O'Sullivan now 6-2 up on the Scot. The 47-year-old started brightly and took a 2-0 lead over China's Bingtao, before the 22-year-old rallied and drew level at 2-2. Further breaks of 70 and 123 propelled him into a commanding position, before Maguire crucially drew one back in the eighth frame.

O'Sullivan benefited from an error-strewn display from Stephen Maguire to open up a 6-2 lead following their opening session.

Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark Williams took command of their respective quarter-finals on day 11 of the World Championship in Sheffield. Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark Williams each take command of their quarter-finals During Tuesday’s afternoon matches, Judd Trump and John Higgins both came out on top in the opening sessions of their respective quarter-finals.

O'Sullivan will take on John Higgins or Jack Lisowski in the semi-finals.

“I am looking forward to it. “He was the Tiger Woods of snooker. “When there’s three of us, we’re not superstars.

Ronnie O'Sullivan has got his focus back and is ready for the final stretch at the World Championship, Jimmy White has said.

“He will be feeling it, but he is playing well. “He is good with it,” McManus said when asked about O’Sullivan’s ability to handle pressure. He threatened something similar when romping into a 6-2 lead over Stephen Maguire, only to struggle in the second session as he wrestled with tip issues.

Ronnie O'Sullivan has dismissed claims that he is a superstar of the sport as he bids for a seventh World Snooker Championship and shared his assessment of ...

It’s not ideal, but the more I play with it the more I get a bit comfortable with it. When it comes to the one-table set-up you can relax a bit more, and I'm excited still to be in the tournament and to get there." “I enjoyed the battle, just trying to stay in a good place and try to give yourself a chance to play well.

Ronnie O'Sullivan continues to fly the flag for snooker's Class of 92, and he has described himself, John Higgins and Mark Williams as “the three Mexicanos!

But it's just a visual thing. “It’s a bit like the Mexican boxers – we were brought up in a tough school,” O’Sullivan said. “Williams and Higgins – they have little subtleties in their game.”

O'Sullivan will take on John Higgins or Jack Lisowski in the semi-finals.

“I am looking forward to it. “He was the Tiger Woods of snooker. “When there’s three of us, we’re not superstars.

O'Sullivan will take on John Higgins or Jack Lisowski in the semi-finals.

“I am looking forward to it. “He was the Tiger Woods of snooker. “When there’s three of us, we’re not superstars.