Ronnie O’Sullivan takes lead in World Snooker Championship last-16 match against Ryan Day

Ronnie O’Sullivan, the seven-time world champion, is on a mission to secure his eighth Crucible title as he took a commanding 5-3 lead in his last-16 match against Ryan Day at the World Snooker Championship.

The 48-year-old Englishman, who recently became the oldest player to win the world championship at the age of 46, showed his class with breaks of 123 and 84 in the opening frames. Despite Day’s efforts to rally back, O’Sullivan continued to dominate with breaks of 83, 51, and a crucial 92 to maintain his lead.

Day, 44, is no stranger to the Crucible Theatre, having reached the quarter-finals three times before. However, he faces a tough challenge against O’Sullivan, who famously came back from a 9-7 deficit to defeat Day in their last-16 tie back in 2006.

“This place gives you lots of great memories and lots of scars,” Day reflected on his past encounters with O’Sullivan. “That was certainly one of the scars. It’s not physical on your skin, but it is lodged away somewhere deep in your mind.”

In another thrilling match, Scotland’s Stephen Maguire claimed victory over 2005 world champion Shaun Murphy to secure his spot in the quarter-finals. Maguire, who has been a fierce rival of Murphy since their youth days, displayed his skill with breaks of 68, 73, and a stunning 127 to seal the win.

With 11 of the 16 seeds already eliminated in the tournament, the World Snooker Championship continues to deliver exciting matches and unexpected outcomes. Fans can look forward to more intense action as the competition progresses at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.