Higgins completes epic comeback against O'Sullivan

Ronnie O'Sullivan’s bid for a record-breaking eighth Crucible title was shattered in Sheffield as John Higgins capped a remarkable comeback with a 13-12 win to move into the World Snooker Championship quarter-finals.

O’Sullivan twice led by five frames but lost six frames on the bounce across the final two sessions, and Higgins fired three centuries on Monday before holding his nerve to get over the line in the decider and seal one of his most famous wins.

Stunned O’Sullivan had shown his frustration by thumping the table midway through their penultimate session on Sunday night, as his fellow 50-year-old belatedly stirred to eat into a 9-4 deficit and end the night just two frames adrift.

O’Sullivan had the first chance to extend his lead on Monday but broke down on a mid-range red in the opening frame and Higgins replied in merciless fashion, taking the frame with a break of 58 then reeling off consecutive centuries to go ahead for the first time at 10-9.

Higgins’ run of frame wins ended in the next as O’Sullivan responded with a coolly-dispatched break of 62 to haul level, then a brilliant 93 with the black out of commission suggested the favourite was back on course for victory.

But there was simply no stopping the Scot, who hit back with his third century of the session to level again at 11-11 and fired a break of 88 to move within a frame of victory.

O’Sullivan forced a decider with a break of 81, but Higgins was not to be denied.

Mark Selby criticised the "horrific" state of the Crucible table after crashing out in a 13-11 defeat to China's Wu Yize.

Four-time champion Selby drew on his years of experience to push the 22-year-old rising star all the way but ultimately cut a frustrated figure as Wu held his nerve to book his place in the last eight.

Selby branded his own performance "pathetic" and added: "I felt like the conditions were the worst I’ve experienced here at the World Championship, for sure.

"It’s not the reason I lost that match, but it’s disappointing to come to a tournament that is the pinnacle of our sport and think the conditions are going to play really well and they’re not.

"In my first game against Jak Jones I felt like the table was absolutely horrific.

It was tough.

I know they (the table-fitters) did the best job possible, but something needs to happen because it’s so inconsistent from one tournament to the next."
It was plain to see that neither player was at their best, with Selby compiling a match-best 95 to keep himself in with a chance at 12-10, while the normally free-scoring Wu did not muster a half-century on Monday until the chiselled-out 53 that finally got him over the line.

A World Snooker Tour spokesperson said: "There are always challenges in providing the best possible conditions for players as there are many factors which affect this.

"Our dedicated team of table-fitters work tirelessly in delivering the best possible conditions and they are constantly monitoring the tables.

We have systems in place where players can give feedback after every match."
Despite his often unorthodox shot choice – highlighted by an outrageous plant off two cushions during Sunday’s session – Selby believes his opponent, who faces either Judd Trump or Hossein Vafaei next – has a shot at lifting the Crucible crown.

"He’s great for our game, he’s great to watch and very, very attacking," Selby added.

"Some of the balls he took on against me, I’m not sure they were the right shot, but they were going in.

He’s still young and loving the game.

"I think he’s a world champion in the making.

Who knows?

It could be this year, but I do think he’ll probably win it at some stage.

I don’t think he played great in that match but some of the standards he plays to when he gets on a bit of a run, he’s hard to stop."