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Paul Ryding

Old rivals Ding Junhui and Ronnie O’Sullivan are poised at 8-8 ahead of the final session of a gripping second round World Snooker Championship clash in Sheffield.
They were level at 4-4 following the first session and ended the second also locked in a stalemate, neither player blinking in the high-pressure environs of the Crucible theatre.
Ronnie O’Sullivan outlasts Ding Junhui in high-quality last-16 display
The pair, crossing swords for a 22nd time since they first met in 2005, registered six 50-plus breaks apiece during a spellbinding first day of action.
O’Sullivan drew first blood courtesy of a break of 61, but Ding hit back to take the next three stanzas, the last of them with a break of 76.
Maximum 147 break for Hong Kong’s Steven Chau as coach Wayne Griffiths hails rise of young local talent
Then it was O’Sullivan’s turn to reel off three in a row to move 4-3 in front.
The “Rocket” registered his first century break of the match in frame six, but Ding scored two 100-plus breaks of his own later to pull 7-5 clear.


O’Sullivan responded with another three-frame run, before Ding took the final two chapters of the day to square a back-and-forth encounter.
Ding is aiming to become the first Asian world champion. The closest he has gone in his 17 years as a professional was when he finished runner-up to Mark Selby in 2016.
Marco Fu still motivated and keen for snooker return after pulling out of World Championship over Covid-19 concerns
Meanwhile, O’Sullivan is a serial winner in Sheffield and is targeting a sixth Crucible triumph.
Play resumes at 7pm (UK time). The winner on Sunday night will meet former world champion and current world number three Mark Williams, who overcame Stuart Bingham 13-11.
Elsewhere, there was controversy in the match between qualifiers Anthony McGill and Jamie Clarke when the two had to be separated by referee Jan Verhaas after exchanging words when McGill claimed Clarke was stood in his eye line during a shot.
They will resume with Clarke leading 8-7 on Sunday.
World number two Neil Robertson is also deadlocked at 8-8 in his match against England’s Barry Hawkins. They resume on Sunday afternoon.


Ronnie O’Sullivan makes snooker history with highest-ever break of 153 in China

Zhao Xintong attributes surge in form to mental toughness after Players Championship win

Superstitious Chinese snooker star Zhao Xintong betting on white to keep hot streak going

China star Zhao Xintong says he is still learning after winning World Grand Prix title

World Snooker

World Snooker Championship: Ding Junhui and Ronnie O’Sullivan deadlocked in epic tussle

Ding Junhui and Ronnie O’Sullivan are tied at 8-8 in their second round match at the World Snooker Championship. Photo: YouTube

World Snooker Championship: Yan Bingtao takes early lead against world No 1 Judd Trump

Yan Bingtao of China holds a 5-3 lead going into the second day of his round two match against world number one Judd Trump in the World Snooker Championship. Photo: VCG/VCG via Getty Images

World Snooker Championship: Ding beats King in thriller, faces O’Sullivan or Un-Nooh next

China’s Ding Junhui defeated Mark King in the first round of action at the World Championship in Sheffield, England. Photo: Tai Chengzhe/VCG via Getty Images

Maximum 147 break for Hong Kong’s Steven Chau as coach Wayne Griffiths hails rise of young local talent

Hong Kong snooker player Steven Chau has compiled his first career 147 maximum brake during practice. Photo: Handout

Chang Yu-kiu is among a number of talented young snooker players in Hong Kong. Photo: Handout

Seven-time world snooker champion Stephen Hendry uses his hand to keep Steven Chau Hon-man's head down during a snooker clinic with the Hong Kong senior snooker team at Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Wan Chai. 21JUL17 SCMP/Unus Alladin

Sport

China


Chinese ace Ding and English legend O’Sullivan are battling for a place in the quarter-finals in Sheffield



Chinese ace Ding and English legend O’Sullivan are battling for a place in the quarter-finals in Sheffield.


World Snooker Championship: Ding Junhui and Ronnie O’Sullivan deadlocked in epic tussle

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} Chinese ace Ding and English legend O’Sullivan are battling for a place in the quarter-finals in Sheffield

Chinese ace Ding and English legend O’Sullivan are battling for a place in the quarter-finals in Sheffield