“Live Blog Craig Mahood, Betting & Gaming Writer Updated: 15:39, 23 Apr 2025 WORLD Snooker Championship action is rolling on at pace from The Crucible – with Ronnie O’Sullivan resuming his grudge match against rival Ali Carter NOW! The Rocket narrowly leads 5-4 but Carter battled back to set up the perilous tie. While World”, — write: www.thesun.co.uk
- Craig Mahood, Betting & Gaming Writer
- Updated: 15:39, 23 Apr 2025
The Rocket narrowly leads 5-4 but Carter battled back to set up the perilous tie.
While World No 1 Judd Trump is beating Zhou Yuelong 6-3 in his tournament opener as he bids to become only the 10th multiple champion of the Crucible era.
There will be a new champion this year – after Kyren Wilson suffered a shock loss to Lei Peifan in his opener.
- Start time: 10am BST
- Live stream: BBC iPlayer
- TV channel: BBC One / Two / Four
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Follow ALL the action from the Crucible Theatre with our live blog below…
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Latest scores – Afternoon sessionHere they come! O’Sullivan and Carter are back at the table.
The Rocket is just one frame away from winning this match and sealing his place in the next round.
Here we go…
- Ronnie O’Sullivan 9-4 Ali Carter (0-0)
- Luca Brecel 1-3 Ryan Day – interval
Credit: Getty
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Latest scores – Afternoon sessionRyan Day has extended his lead.
The Welsh potter is two frames ahead after a break of 67 helps him to a 73-4 victory in the fourth frame.
He and Brecel will now head into a mid-session interval too.
- Ronnie O’Sullivan 9-4 Ali Carter – interval
- Luca Brecel 1-3 Ryan Day – interval
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Latest scores – Afternoon sessionRonnie O’Sullivan will head into the mid-session interval with just one frame between him and the second round.
The Rocket has looked locked in and dominant since returning to the table today and wins another frame to put himself five frames ahead after a third century.
Ali Carter will need a miracle when they come back after a short break.
Over on Table 2, Ryan Day has re-established his lead over Luca Brecel.
- Ronnie O’Sullivan 9-4 Ali Carter – interval
- Luca Brecel 1-2 Ryan Day (0-0)
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Latest scores – Afternoon sessionWow! Ronnie O’Sullivan steals the frame away from Ali Carter after some costly mistakes from Carter.
A sloppy miss give O’Sullivan a chance to return to the table and he shows off with two LEFT HANDED pots to extend his lead in this match.
He’s just two frames away away from victory now.
- Ronnie O’Sullivan 8-4 Ali Carter
- Luca Brecel 1-1 Ryan Day (0-10)
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Latest scores – Afternoon sessionLuca Brecel has levelled up the scores against Ryan Day.
Snooker’s self-proclaimed ‘Ronaldinho’ narrowly pipped Day 59-36 to make it one frame a piece.
On Table 1, Ali Carter has a chance to pull himself back into contention against O’Sullivan.
- Ronnie O’Sullivan 7-4 Ali Carter (9-43)
- Luca Brecel 1-1 Ryan Day
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Latest scores – Afternoon sessionO’Sullivan wins a second consecutive frame with a second consecutive century.
This time a break of 117 for a 129-0 win puts O’Sullivan three frames ahead.
That’s his 1,284th career century.
Ali Carter has a lot of work to do now as he faces The Rocket on a roll.
- Ronnie O’Sullivan 7-4 Ali Carter
- Luca Brecel 0-1 Ryan Day (27-9)
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Latest scores – Afternoon sessionCarter can’t take advantage of his reprieve and within minutes the frame is over.
O’Sullivan seems to be getting on well with his new cue as he finishes the opener of this afternoon’s session 109-0.
Impressive start.
- Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-4 Ali Carter
- Luca Brecel 0-1 Ryan Day
Credit: Getty
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Latest scores – Afternoon sessionIt’s like he has never been away.
Lightning stuff from The Rocket, who in classic fashion rattles along at pace to a break of 50.
But a missed red lets Carter back in, with the pair now trading safeties.
Over on Table 2, it’s a strong start for Ryan Day who begins the match with a classy century.
- Ronnie O’Sullivan 5-4 Ali Carter
- Luca Brecel 0-1 Ryan Day
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Latest scores – Afternoon sessionHere we go, what a session in store from the Crucible.
The Rocket played down his form coming into this grudge-match – but he leads 5-4 as play resumes in Sheffield.
And over on Table 2, Ryan Day will be looking to stun Luca Brecel and end the Belgian Bullet’s hopes of a second title.
- Ronnie O’Sullivan 5-4 Ali Carter
- Luca Brecel 0-0 Ryan Day
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Still to come After that marathon match, we don’t have long to wait for the afternoon session to get underway.
And what a belting pair of matches.
The Rocket continues his quest for an eighth world title against Ali Carter, while 2023 champ Luca Brecel takes on Ryan Day.
- Ronnie O’Sullivan 5-4 Ali Carter
- Luca Brecel vs Ryan Day
Credit: Alamy
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Latest scores – Morning sessionTake a bow, Pang Junxu.
What a performance this morning, overturning a two-frame deficit against a below-par Zhang Anda.
The 25-year-old rattled off five consecutive frames to book his place in the next round. Impressive stuff.
- Zhang Anda 7-10 Pang Junxu
Credit: Getty
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Latest scores – Morning sessionWhat a tussle this is.
Zhang Anda is fighting to stay in the tournament but trails 48-40 in this potentially decisive frame.
Pang Junxu is back at the table and this could be the end for another seeded star at this year’s tournament.
- Zhang Anda 7-9 Pang Junxu
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Latest scores – Morning sessionMake that four on the spin.
A quickfire frame – definitely a rarity in this match – sees Junxu stretch his lead to two frames.
Zhang Anda now needs to reel off three of his own to stay in the World Championship.
- Zhang Anda 7-9 Pang Junxu
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Latest scores – Morning sessionThat could be a huge frame for Pang Junxu.
All the momentum is with the 25-year-old, who wins his third on the spin thanks to a break of 55.
All to do for the No12 seed.
- Zhang Anda 7-8 Pang Junxu
Credit: Alamy
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Latest scores – Morning sessionThe timekeepers at the Crucible won’t be pleased to see another marathon frame unfolding here.
Anda gets himself into a 59-0 lead, but with 67 remaining on the table, he and Junxu are now trading safety shots.
- Zhang Anda 7-7 Pang Junxu
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Latest scores – Morning sessionIt’s all square.
Back-to-back breaks of 50+ for Pang Junxu, who has erased Anda’s overnight lead with his second century of the match.
The World No12 is in a spot of bother and hasn’t looked himself in this opening session.
- Zhang Anda 7-7 Pang Junxu
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Latest scores – Morning sessionNo urgency from this pair as Pang takes control of Frame 14.
Looking very unlikely this finishes in the morning session – and organisers will have to squeeze the conclusion in somewhere tonight.
- Zhang Anda 7-6 Pang Junxu
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Latest scores – Morning sessionIt’s very much game on.
Junxu is allowed back on the baize and makes no mistake in sealing the frame 93-14.
- Zhang Anda 7-6 Pang Junxu
Credit: Alamy
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Latest scores – Morning sessionBack underway in this epic between Anda and Junxu.
Pang makes a strong start to the frame, racing into a 35-0 lead.
But a missed red has let Zhang back to the table…
- Zhang Anda 7-5 Pang Junxu
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Still to comePlay set to resume soon on Table 1, with Anda still leading fellow Chinese star Junxu by two frames.
There’s a host of action throughout the day at the Crucible, with some big names still to come.
Ronnie and 2023 champ Luca Brecel expected on the table from 2.30pm, before Judd Trump and Mark Selby play this evening.
- Zhang Anda 7-5 Pang Junxu (live now)
- Ronnie O’Sullivan 5-4 Ali Carter (2.30pm)
- Judd Trump 6-3 Zhou Yuelong (7pm)
- Luca Brecel vs Ryan Day (2.30pm)
- Mark Selby vs Ben Woollaston (7pm)
Credit: PA
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Latest scores – Morning sessionA real slog this on Table 1, with the score now 2-2 in this morning’s session.
Zhang has been nowhere near his best but manages to re-establish his two-frame cushion as we head into the interval.
- Zhang Anda 7-5 Pang Junxu
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Latest scores – Morning sessionShaun Murphy is through to the last-16.
Wells fought hard this morning to halt the Magician’s progress.
But a break of 72 in the 14th frame seals a comfortable win for the 2005 champion.
- Zhang Anda 6-5 Pang Junxu
- Shaun Murphy 10-4 Daniel Wells
Credit: Getty
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Latest scores – Morning sessionWhat an epic frame.
And after trading safeties on the brown, it’s Pang Junxu who finally breaks through to move within one.
This match feels like it’s going all the way to a decider.
- Zhang Anda 6-5 Pang Junxu
- Shaun Murphy 9-4 Daniel Wells
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Latest scores – Morning sessionMurphy and Wells have gone in for the interval, with Murphy needing just one more frame for victory.
Anda and Junxu are currently locked in a tense battle, with Anda 47-45 to the good.
- Zhang Anda 6-4 Pang Junxu
- Shaun Murphy 9-4 Daniel Wells
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Latest scores – Morning sessionSome magic from Murphy as he moves to within one frame of victory.
A third century of the match (137) leaves The Magician on the cusp of Round 2.
- Zhang Anda 6-4 Pang Junxu
- Shaun Murphy 9-4 Daniel Wells
Credit: Getty
