HE’S RON STEP FROM VICTORY
O’Sullivan needs three frames to beat Murphy
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN struck late to keep bitter rival Shaun Murphy at bay.
The Rocket will carry a 10-6 lead into the final session of his Betfred World Championship last-16 clash – needing just three frames for victory.
Five-time world champion O’Sullivan, 41, looked at one stage as if he would inflict another embarrassing sessionto-spare defeat over Murphy.
In what is always a grudge clash between players with little time for each other, Murphy trailed 9-3, fearing another 13-3 drubbing as in Sheffield in 2014.
With his back to the wall 34-year-old Murphy, the 2005 champion, mounted a stirring comeback helped by breaks of 84, 73 and 87.
But O’Sullivan snatched a last frame of the day on the black after Murphy blew a chance to win by missing the final green.
Bizarrely, there seemed to be fans watching O’Sullivan but listening to earpiece commentary of the John Higgins v Mark Allen match on the other side of the curtain.
Northern Ireland’s Allen got off to a flying and high-scoring start against four-time world champion John Higgins.
The 31-year-old delivered one of his best Crucible sessions to lead 5-3 after the first battle.
Allen, who lost to Higgins in a 2009 semi-final in Sheffield, battered his rival with breaks of 71, 65, 100, 102, 129 and 82.
But, perhaps crucially, Scot Higgins hung on to win the last frame of the day for some important damage limitation.
Meanwhile, the defending champion and world No.1 Mark Selby knows he has the chance to hog the Leicester limelight this year.
The 33-year-old is chasing a third world title in four seasons after soaring clear at the top of the world rankings this year.
Selby is a huge Foxes fan but with their Champions League dream now over he knows sporting glory for the city is down to him.
The first year he tasted Crucible success Leicester won the Championship, last year it was the Premier League.
Selby joked: “Leicester couldn’t retain the title – so now it’s time to see what I can do about my side of things.”