‘How are we still here?’ – Class of 92 graduates thrill Crucible again

“What a match,” he said. As Williams potted the black almost falling over the winning line on Wednesday, BBC commentator John Virgo remarked, “Treasure the moments of these two great champions.

Ronnie O’Sullivan and Ronnie O’Sullivan complete the trio, which includes the legendary “Class of 92,” and they are all still a top-notch tour team.

In December, O’Sullivan celebrated his 50th birthday, and Williams turned 50 in March, while Higgins celebrates his half-century 13 days later in the same year’s final.

However, they have demonstrated that a number is all that.

Since Ray Reardon, a six-time champion, did it at the age of 52 in 1985, Williams has now reached the last four at the Crucible.

When he fell 5-1 behind, it seemed a step too far, but a Williams surge brought him close to victory at 12-8 before Higgins resurrected to level terms.

We were really big rivals twenty years ago, and now we enter the practice room and nod off as if to ask, “How are we still here competing with everyone?” Before the game, Higgins said.

Williams agrees with that statement.

He said, “Typically, the worse you get,” according to him. Your focus is on getting through the day, everything is going, and you experience a slight decrease in stamina.

“But somehow, us three are circling like a bad smell.”

A final between two members of the “Class of 92,” which is named after their professional careers, is a real possibility because O’Sullivan is in the opposite half of the draw.

What a feat it would be if one of them won the World Championship and could possibly defeat a young whippersnapper in the final. Perhaps their best accomplishment, Davis said.

In the Crucible first round, Davis defeated Mark King 10-9, defeated a 34-year-old Higgins, reigning champion, and fell 13-11 to eventual champion Neil Robertson in the final eight.

I may have lost faith in the fact that it was a fantastic buzz, Davis recalled.

The “Class of 92” trio’s accomplishments are legendary. Williams has three titles, while Higgins has four, and O’Sullivan has seven.

If Williams or O’Sullivan win the trophy on May 5th, they will surpass O’Sullivan’s record set set when he won it three years ago, when he was 46 years old.

Thirty-three years ago, they were all teenagers who had a desire to rise to the top and were driven, hungry, and talented.

When they were both 15 years old, Williams described how he first met Higgins at the 1990 championships final.

The Welshman said, “We played in the final, and he beat me.” He won 6-1 against me, he had 5 grand for the win, and I had 3 grand for the winner.

I then played in the British Under-16s in Birmingham, where I lost to him 4-0 after 50 minutes, and I received 200 dollars for the delay.

When I was 13 and 14, I first really remembered John because we were both playing in junior events.

Williams and Higgins have a history of the Crucible, having previously met six times at the Sheffield theater, winning five games, including an 18-16 victory in the 2018 final showdown.

Before their most recent rematch, Williams said, “That was one of the best games I’ve ever been involved in, and people say it was the best final ever.”

The legendary trio was Ken Doherty, the 1997 world champion, who had previously played them throughout his career, in the belief that Williams-Higgins was the setting for “the tie of the round.”

It excelled at doing that.

The Irishman claimed that they have been producing well for 33 years and have been at the top of the game since 1992.

Players like me, Stephen Hendry, Alan McManus, and Peter Ebdon have all discovered that getting older makes things much harder. Being able to dedicate your life to the game and deal with the tension are difficult to deal with.

They still have the appetite, willingness, and hunger, which is an incredible talent, even though you become a father and a family man, and it’s difficult to dedicate yourself to the game.

For the past 30 years, I’ve worked with them as loggers. In big finals, I’ve defeated them all but also lost to them all. You used to enjoy playing them because it was a fantastic test for your own game, and I just had great fun doing them.

Doherty, who is a member of the BBC TV team for the competition, said: “We have to enjoy these three as much as we can.” They continue to provide the sport with great entertainment and entertaining.

Judd Trump, who defeated him 13-10 on Monday, was the man who Shaun Murphy favored to win the title.

However, he continued, “It’s wonderful that we still get to watch the Class of 92, three of the best players we’ve ever seen.”

After beating Luca Brecel in his own quarter-final, world number one Williams will face him in the semi-finals.

Trump anticipated that the seasoned trio would continue to excel for many years to come.

When I was younger, Ronnie and John, in particular, gave them a little inspiration, according to Trump. “Ronnie was a person I really admired. They are not far from their best, but they are far from retiring.

Never have I seen him play that way when I played him in the semi-finals [when Trump won a final-frame decider for a 17-16 win in 2022].