ARTICLE AD BOX
O’Sullivan wasted little time in securing a routine 13-4 win over Pang Junxu in the second round at the Crucible Theatre and now faces talented youngster Si, who shockingly made the semi-finals here in 2023 at the age of just 20. Now 22, the Chinese star has established himself in the top 16 but a best-of-25 clash against the greatest snooker player of all time still represents a huge challenge for the fearless potter.
Before O’Sullivan v Si gets underway in Sheffield, another mouthwatering quarter-final clash begun in the morning session as snooker legends John Higgins and Mark Williams squared off once again. Both men turned professional in 1992, the same year as O’Sullivan, and celebrate their 50th birthdays this year but are still at the top of their game.
There was a raucous reception for the two men, who have seven world titles between them and a long-standing rivalry that included meeting in the 2018 world final, where Williams prevailed 18-16 in a titanic tussle. This quarter-final got off to a similarly compelling start as Higgins raced into a 5-1 lead but Welshman Williams dug deep to claim the final two frames of the session and trail just 5-3 heading into this evening’s second session.
Ronnie O'Sullivan 3-1 Si Jiahui - O'SULLIVAN WINS FRAME FOUR
O’Sullivan surprisingly misses frame-ball again. A glimmer of hope for Si but he’ll need a total clearance from here.
Hmmm, he pots a red but then promptly misses the pink. Not great. And he immediately concedes the frame.
Ronnie O’Sullivan wins frame four and leads 3-1 at the mid-session interval
Luke Baker29 April 2025 15:47
Ronnie O'Sullivan 2-1 Si Jiahui
O’Sullivan moving the cueball around nicely, mainly being forced to work with the blue as the black is tied up. Judging the pace of each shot really nicely.
The lead builds past 30 points, then 40. Good work so far by the Rocket here.
Luke Baker29 April 2025 15:40
Ronnie O'Sullivan 2-1 Si Jiahui
Head in hands from O’Sullivan who, despite his lead, doesn’t seem happy out there. He misses a very makeable red along the bottom cushion as it hits cushion first.
Laaves Si in among the balls but he can only pot one red before missing a thin cut on the black. He needs to start punishing the Rocket’s mistakes while he’s under pressure
Luke Baker29 April 2025 15:36
Ronnie O'Sullivan 2-1 Si Jiahui - O'SULLIVAN WINS FRAME THREE
Good split of the remaining reds from the Rocket. They’re all there for the taking now.
He moves ahead of Si’s score with one red remaining and the only real obstacle left is the brown on the top cushion. Leaves a relatively thin cut on the brown but drops it into the pocket and lands nicely on the blue, clearing the remaining colours for a 71 break.
Nicely done by Ronnie O’Sullivan to win frame three and lead 2-1 but Si Jiahui was in control of that frame and let it slip.
Luke Baker29 April 2025 15:33
Ronnie O'Sullivan 1-1 Si Jiahui
The cueball is wandering a bit for Si during this break but he keeps potting the balls to stay at the table. Until he doesn’t...
With his break at 30 he misses a red to left corner, overcutting it. Big opportunity missed.
Si leads 44-12 but O’Sullivan back at the table, in the balls.
Luke Baker29 April 2025 15:27
Ronnie O'Sullivan 1-1 Si Jiahui
O’Sullivan hasn’t settled properly here. Switches to play left-handed for a red down the cushion but it’s a deceleration and he misses it. Hangs his head in frustration. Leaves Si right in among the balls.
Luke Baker29 April 2025 15:24
Ronnie O'Sullivan 1-1 Si Jiahui
Good break-off by O’Sullivan and it forces a safety mistake from Si, so the Rocket is in first with a long red. But soon breaks down on just 6 points, giving Si a chance.
The Chinese star will hope to get a few points here with four or five loose reds but soon runs out of position. Takes on a thin snick to the corner but misses it by a distance. Leads 14-6 but he’s stuck the red up for Ronnie
Luke Baker29 April 2025 15:23
Ronnie O'Sullivan 1-1 Si Jiahui - SI WINS FRAME TWO
Nice cannon on the reds after potting a black and the frame is at Si’s mercy as he passes 50 points. Just need to keep his composure for a few more pots.
Tough pot on a red when he’s on 60. Good recovery shot, goes up for the green.
He’s rolling now and gets over the line in the frame. Can he complete the century? He does. The final green takes him to 100 and although he then misses the brown, it doesn’t matter.
Si Jiahui wins frame two to get on the board at 1-1.
Luke Baker29 April 2025 15:17
Ronnie O'Sullivan 1-0 Si Jiahui
Maybe Si is starting to find his long game in frame two. Digs out a nice long pot to the left corner, dropped in.
The black follows and this is a good scoring chance. He has to let O’Sullivan know he’s in this match.
Luke Baker29 April 2025 15:08
Ronnie O'Sullivan 1-0 Si Jiahui - O'SULLIVAN WINS FRAME ONE
A fun safety exchange with fluked snookers and the cueball rebounding off the jaws of pockets brings oohs and ahs from the Crucible crowd.
Eventually O’Sullivan pulls out a long pot on the red and then pots the pink to leave Si needing snookers. Clears up to the blue for good measure and Ronnie O’Sullivan wins a very scrappy opening frame to lead 1-0
Luke Baker29 April 2025 14:58
English (US) ·