Ronnie O'Sullivan on course for semi-finals at snooker's Tour Championship

The two all-time greats, and heavyweights of the sport, stepped into the Venue Cymru in Llandudno with Williams very much hoping to make home advantage count to book a place in the semi-finals. With that in mind, the Welshman made the perfect start, capitalising on errors from O’Sullivan to take a tense first frame, which lasted half an hour.

Ad/> Last year’s beaten finalist continued to show some early nerves in the second, and despite collecting some quick points, a missed black — which rattled the jaws of the pocked — gave Williams the chance to build again. However, he fluffed his chance and O’Sullivan managed to scrape level in the match.

Tour ChampionshipTour Championship LIVE – O'Sullivan leads old foe Williams in last eight4 HOURS AGO 'Absolutely brutal' – Robertson 'proud' to hold off Allen comeback at Tour ChampionshipTour Championship 2022 — Latest scores, results, schedule, order of playO’Sullivan to return to world No. 1 spot as World Championship top 16 confirmed O’Sullivan seemed to need a confidence boost, and a fabulous long pot of a red gave him just that as he edged into the lead.

What was to come next put any memories of a shaky start into the distant past, with O’Sullivan producing a dazzling exhibition of ball striking to move 3-1 up at the interval with a break of 131 — the highest of the tournament so far. /> Williams bounced back, with his rival unable to pot in the fifth frame, tightening the scores to 3-2, before O’Sullivan struck his second century of the match in a sublime break of 128 to give himself some breathing space once more.