Higgins Recovers To Beat O'sullivan In Crucible Epic

Four-time victor John Higgins produced a sensational betterment from 8-3 and 9-4 down to conclusion Ronnie O'Sullivan 13-12 successful a final-frame Crucible epic to scope nan World Championship quarter-finals.

Seven-time champion O'Sullivan was seeking an eighth title to group a caller outright grounds successful nan modern era, and doubly held five-frame leads successful Sunday's 2nd session.

But Higgins won nan past 3 frames connected Sunday and maintained that shape by taking nan first 3 connected Monday arsenic O'Sullivan mislaid six successive frames astatine nan Crucible for only nan 5th time.

In a high-quality thriller, played retired successful beforehand of an enthralled crowd, O'Sullivan won nan 20th and 21st frames to regain nan lead astatine 11-10.

In surely nan lucifer of nan tournament, and 1 of nan champion successful nan 49 years astatine nan Sheffield theatre, Higgins won 2 frames successful a statement to move 1 distant astatine 12-11, but O'Sullivan's break of 81 forced a decider.

Higgins had nan first chance but missed a reddish into nan mediate astatine 16-0 to springiness O'Sullivan a lifeline, earlier nan Englishman could only people 8 points and grounded to cookware a red.

The Scot past made a break of 49 connected his measurement to sealing a match-winning frame, pinch some players getting a opinionated ovation arsenic nan necktie finished.

The 50-year-olds are 2 of snooker's fabled 'Class of '92', on pinch 51-year-old Mark Williams, pinch nan trio having 14 world titles betwixt them.

Higgins, nan champion successful 1998, 2007, 2009 and 2011, will now play either 2010 victor Neil Robertson aliases world number 13 Chris Wakelin.

Robertson leads 10-6, pinch that lucifer played to a decorativeness successful Monday's evening convention from 19:00 BST.