Ronnie O’Sullivan pulls level with John Higgins in quarter-final: World Snooker Championship 2011
Ronnie O’Sullivan pulled level with the world number one John Higgins in their see-saw quarter-final battle of the World Snooker Championship 2011 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield on Tuesday.
The first session of the match ended with the scoreboard reading 4-4 as both cueists played up to the mark.
The experienced pair sparked their cue sticks superbly and showed their snooker brilliance in a fine professional way as the spectators were expecting from them. They cashed in every opportunity to score a big break or take a lead. Higgins twice took the
lead while O’Sullivan pulled level on both occasions to hamper the Scot’s momentum.
The former triple champion Higgins snatched back-to-back frame wins at 0-94 and 0-66 after pocketing two fine clearances of 53 and 66 to take a 2-0 early lead in the first session of the match and put the Englishman under stress.
The Wordsley potter, O’Sullivan, did not take long to equalise the score line at 2-2 after he took the next two frames with 83-28 and 93-15 to slow down Higgins. The Scottish was not stunned by the ‘Rocket’ O’Sullivan, as he was expecting the same kind of
play from the Englishman.
The fifth frame was really a tussling one as Higgins and O’Sullivan, both 35, tried their best to clinch the frame. Finally, Higgins took the frame by a one-point margin at 64-65 followed by a sensational sixth frame victory with 0-121 firing an outstanding
century knock of 121 as the balls were evenly spread on the table.
After Higgins led again in the match at 2-4, the Essex Exocet O’Sullivan sprang back once more. He replied with two terrific breaks of 89 and 105 and won the next two frames at 89-35 and 105-0 to level the score again at 4-4 at the end of the first session.
The second session of the match will resume on Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at the same venue. After the first session finished, both snooker stars gave mutual comments of appreciation about each other.
The Wizard of Wishaw Higgins said, “It's always a great occasion, wherever you play him. He's got the Jimmy White and Alex Higgins factor. The crowd are on his side and that generates a buzz that you love playing in. Playing O'Sullivan anywhere probably
generates the same buzz as playing in a final against most other people.”
On the other hand, O’Sullivan expressed his thoughts by saying, “John's given everyone half a season start and still won more than everyone else. He's a class player, he's been the best player in the world for the last three or four years probably. I've
got great respect for John's game.”
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