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Ronnie O’Sullivan made his return to snooker and secured a one-frame lead over Ali Carter after the opening session of their World Championship first-round match.
O’Sullivan, 49, had not played competitively since January when he snapped his cue and threw it in the bin following four losses in five matches at the Championship League event.
He subsequently withdrew from a number of tournaments, including the Masters, the Welsh Open and the Grand Prix, saying he “needed to prioritise his health and wellbeing”.
But the seven-time world champion recovered from losing the opening frame to take a 5-4 advantage, needing five more frames for victory when the match resumes on Wednesday afternoon (14:30 BST).
He hit a break of 107 to move 3-1 in front with the 1,283rd century break of his career and his 208th at the Crucible. He had a chance for another century, only to falter at 85 after missing a red into the middle pocket.
O’Sullivan looked on course to gain a 6-3 advantage, but missed a long red when 46-5 ahead, with Carter recovering to take the last frame of the session.
Before the tournament, O’Sullivan told BBC Sport “to come here is an achievement in itself for me” as he documented his mental health struggles.
Halo World Snooker Championship
19 April to 5 May
‘I’m sure Ronnie will be happy’
O’Sullivan only confirmed his appearance at the tournament late last week, marking a 33rd successive year at the Crucible after he made his debut in 1993, aged 17.
He received an excellent ovation from the Sheffield crowd as he made his way into the arena and shook hands with long-time rival Carter before the match started.
O’Sullivan had beaten Carter in world finals in 2008 and 2012 and the Masters final in 2024, although Carter did gain a win over ‘The Rocket’ in a bad-tempered last-16 tie at the Crucible in 2018.
Carter, the world number 18, had to win through two rounds of qualifying to get to the Crucible, despite suffering with a neck injury that had left him close to withdrawing.
Neither player was at their best, with Carter twice losing frames on the black having been in a strong position.
But Carter taking the final two frames of the session has left the match finely poised before Wednesday’s second session.
Last year’s world champion Kyren Wilson, speaking on BBC Two, said: “There was so much built-up expectation with Ali coming in as a qualifier and Ronnie coming in as an unknown this year, which is so strange.
“I’m sure Ronnie will go away and be happy with a one-frame lead. Ali seemed to have the bit between his teeth. That will feel massive going in at 5-4 rather than 6-3 [down].
Murphy and Trump gain first-session leads
Former world champion Shaun Murphy cruised to a commanding 7-2 lead after the first session of his first-round match against Crucible debutant Daniel Wells.
In a high-quality session, 42-year-old Murphy – aiming to win a second world title 20 years after his first success – won four frames in a row to take control.
He needs to win only three more frames when the match resumes on Wednesday morning (10:00 BST).
Murphy won the Masters in January and is looking to become the first player since Judd Trump in 2018-19 to win that tournament and the World Championship in the same season.
He made a fine start with a break of 64 but Welshman Wells, who had to battle through three qualifying rounds to secure his place at the annual 17-day event, showed his break-building ability with a clearance of 131.
But Murphy made breaks of 63, 100, 57 and 138 to move into a dominant 5-1 advantage.
Wells, 36, made his second century with 109 in frame seven, only for Murphy to instantly restore his four-frame lead with a run of 76.
A missed black off the spot cost Wells the chance to reduce his arrears in the final frame of the session, with Murphy taking advantage with a break of 89.
World number one Judd Trump also began his campaign on Tuesday and holds a 6-3 lead against China’s Zhou Yuelong in a match that concludes on Wednesday night (19:30 BST).
Breaks of 93, 61, 117 and 62 helped Trump to a 5-1 lead before Zhou, 32nd in the world, edged a scrappy seventh frame, which lasted more than 40 minutes.
Ding and Si advance to continue China’s good tournament
Tenth seed Ding Junhui moved into the last 16 thanks to a 10-7 win over world number 73 Zak Surety.
Ding held a 6-2 advantage lead but Surety responded with four centuries – 104, 109, 136 and 110 – in five frames, although it was not enough to turn the match around.
Si Jiahui became the fifth player from China to reach the next stage as he sealed a 10-6 victory over David Gilbert in the evening session.
Gilbert trailed 6-3 after the opening session and in the second frame of the night made nine reds and nine blacks as he looked to make only the 15th maximum 147 in Crucible history, before he missed the 10th red with the break ending on 72.
“From ball one I was chasing the cash. I was fuming that I missed the red into the middle,” said Gilbert. “I thought Si was very poor and I was very poor, but to be down 6-3 and 9-4 was unbelievable. I don’t think it could’ve gone any worse.
“I love the Crucible. It’s a great place but it’s not very nice when your game is not there.”
Crucible schedule: Wednesday, 23 April
First round
10:00 BST
Zhang Anda 5-3 Pang Junxu
Shaun Murphy 7-2 Daniel Wells*
14:30
Ronnie O’Sullivan 5-4 Ali Carter*
Luca Brecel v Ryan Day
19:00
Mark Selby v Ben Woollaston
Judd Trump 6-3 Zhou Yuelong*
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