Ronnie O’Sullivan holds narrow Crucible lead over rival Ali Carter

Ronnie O’Sullivan had to settle for a single-frame overnight advantage as the opening session of his World Snooker Championship first-round clash against old foe Ali Carter failed to live up to its pre-match hype.

The seven-time champion, returning to the tour for the first time since dumping his cue after losing a Championship League match in January, looked to have scrapped out a 6-3 lead to take into Wednesday afternoon’s scheduled conclusion.

But Carter dug deep after O’Sullivan jawed a long red to the top corner in the final frame of the day, gradually erasing a 51-point deficit and nervelessly clearing the colours to cut his overnight deficit to 5-4.

Prior to Carter’s impressive recovery, respective breaks of 107 from both men had proved the highlights of an error-strewn affair.

The sluggish display on the table was mirrored by relative serenity off it as the pair, who have engaged in a long-running and highly publicised feud over the course of their respective careers, shared a warm handshake prior to the opening break.

O’Sullivan and Carter famously barged shoulders during Carter’s 13-9 win in the second round in 2018 and recriminations flew after O’Sullivan’s Masters final win in 2023, with Carter accusing his rival of “snotting” all over the floor and O’Sullivan responding by saying Carter should “get a life”.

After sharing the first two frames here, O’Sullivan took the third when Carter failed to punish him for leaving a red dangling over the pocket, and the 49-year-old’s subsequent century then put him in command at 3-1.

Carter once again reduced the deficit but missed the simplest of straight reds on a break of 60 in the sixth and allowed O’Sullivan to clear up and regain his two-frame lead.

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