World Snooker Championship LIVE: Latest scores and results from Brecel-Williams and Jones-Robertson

Ronnie O’Sullivan returned to the baize at the World Snooker Championship on Friday as he began a grudge match against Hossein Vafaei at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

Vafaei added plenty of spice to their second-round encounter during the build-up with a series of outspoken comments about seven-time champion O’Sullivan. The Iranian star hurled verbal barbs at his former friend O’Sullivan, accusing the 47-year-old of “disrespect” following an incident in 2021 German Masters qualifying, and adding: “He’s such a nice guy when he’s asleep.” But it was O’Sullivan who kept his cool with a dominant display, taking a 6-2 overnight lead into Saturday’s session after a wild break-off by Vafaei backfired.

The Friday evening session saw Luca Brecel knock out three-time world champion Mark Williams, while Jak Jones took a four-frame overnight lead into tomorrow’s session with the 2010 champion Neil Robertson.

Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Hossein Vafaei updates

• The World Snooker Championship continues at the Crucible on Friday

• Result: Luca Brecel beats Mark Williams 13-11

• Overnight score: Neil Robertson 6-10 (25) Jak Jones

• Overnight score: Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-2 (25) Hossein Vafaei

• Overnight score: Mark Allen 12-4 (25) Stuart Bingham

Neil Robertson salvages final frame of evening session

22:47 , Lawrence Ostlere

The 2010 world champion Neil Robertson fights to win the 16th frame of his second-round match with Welshman Jak Jones, and Jones will lead 10-6 overnight in this first-to-13 match.

And that’s a wrap.

Jones leads Robertson 10-5

22:33 , Lawrence Ostlere

Jak Jones is closing in on the biggest win of his career, now five frames clear of Neil Robertson. The Australian, however, is building a break to potentially clinch what will be the final frame of the evening in this one, to give himself a lifeline.

Luca Brecel knocks out Mark Williams!

21:52 , Lawrence Ostlere

Brecel has done it, piecing together a half-century break to clinch the winning frame, and he goes through to the quarter-finals with a 13-11 victory over three-time world champions Mark Williams.

Jones takes another step towards the quarter-finals

21:47 , Lawrence Ostlere

Jak Jones has another frame on the board and he now leads 8-5 against the 2010 world champion Neil Robertson.

Brecel edges closer to victory over Williams

21:46 , Lawrence Ostlere

A break of 84, and Luca Brecel is one frame from the quarter-finals...

Williams draws level against Brecel

21:30 , Lawrence Ostlere

Mark Williams finally hauls himself level at 11-11 with Luca Brecel, and this is turning into a mini-classic.

Jones extends his advantage over Robertson

21:15 , Lawrence Ostlere

A break of 65 puts another frame on the board for the Welshman Jak Jones and he’s now two frames to the good once more, leading 7-5.

Williams back within one frame

21:12 , Lawrence Ostlere

Mark Williams’ break of 54 is enough to see him reduce the gap to only one frame against Luca Brecel, who leads 11-10 in this race to 13 for a place in the third round.

Evening session resumes after break

20:57 , Lawrence Ostlere

The players are back out on the Crucible floor after a short break. Jak Jones is ahead 6-5 against Neil Robertson and well-placed to extend that lead further, having quickly racked up a break of 60. Luca Brecel meanwhile leads Mark Williams 11-9, and the Belgian is at the table with the chance to put on a heavy score.

Brecel and Williams exchange blows in evening session

20:30 , Lawrence Ostlere

Brecel sees it out to restore his three-frame lead at 11-8, but Williams has taken charge of the 20th frame of the contest and final one before the break. The three-time world champion has a 20-point lead with two reds left on the table, and he has the upper hand in a tight tactical battle.

Robertson fights back against Jones

20:15 , Lawrence Ostlere

On the other side of the curtain (flimsy wall), the Welshman Jak Jones has let Neil Robertson back into their encounter. It’s 5-5 after the Australian won both of the opening two frames of this evening session, and he’s just played a clever long red down the left cushion, which nudged a pair of reds over the corner pocket, and one dropped.

Brecel building advantage over Williams in 19th frame

20:11 , Lawrence Ostlere

Mark Williams has earnt a frame back against Brecel, but the Belgian is back at the table in this 19th frame and building a healthy score, with 30 points on the board. He still leads 10-8.

Luca Brecel capitalises on Mark Williams mistake to extend lead

19:34 , Lawrence Ostlere

Impressive stuff from the mercurial Belgian, who pounces on miss by Williams with the frame at his mercy to clear the table and steal one. Brecel leads 10-7, and Williams will need to dust himself off, because those hurt.

Neil Robertson and Jak Jones resume at 4-4

19:24 , Lawrence Ostlere

Jones and Robertson are back at at the Crucible this evening in their second-round contest. Here’s what happened earlier:

Neil Robertson recovered from 3-0 down to finish the opening session all square at 4-4 against Jak Jones in the second round of the World Snooker Championship.

Crucible debutant Jones, who upset two-time finalist Ali Carter 10-6 in the opening round, missed a red when poised to open up a 4-0 lead and former champion Robertson took full advantage to peg the Welshman back.

Jones came out on top after a marathon first frame, which lasted nearly three-quarters of an hour.

He followed up with a break of 122 to go 2-0 up and at the start of the third frame 2010 winner Robertson had not potted a ball for 30 minutes.

Jones then opened up a 3-0 lead, but a missed red in the fourth frame halted a score of 46 and world number six Robertson hit back with successive breaks of 89 and 95 to make it 3-2.

Qualifier Jones composed himself to move 4-2 up with a 77-break before another missed red while on 48 cost him the seventh frame and Robertson then levelled it up by taking the eighth.

Summary: O’Sullivan leads Vafaei after act of self-sabotage

18:49 , Lawrence Ostlere

Word appeared to have not got through to Vafaei, who dealt what he may have perceived to be a taste of his own medicine to O’Sullivan by sending the balls helter-skeltering around the table from his opening break-off.

O’Sullivan duly swept up the simplest of chances to go 2-0 in front with another break of 78, prompting a baffled Davis to insist: “That is stupidity, or you just don’t care about being a world champion.

“You’re basically giving your opponent an easy chance. For me it’s a nasty taste in my mouth for the match, and it was a mouth-watering taste to start with.

“It’s not good to see. I don’t think it is necessarily disrespectful to Ronnie, but it is maybe considered disrespectful to the game of snooker and the people who come along to watch, and want to see a great game.

“It’s not nice, it’s not good. It’s not a personal game, snooker, your problem is the table and the balls, not your opponent.”

To the amazement of Davis, Vafaei pulled himself together to win frame three, compiling a break of 64 off the back of an excellent long red that ultimately proved to be the frame-winner, and reduce the deficit.

“I don’t understand how you can smash the balls up in the World Championship, then play great in the next frame,” added Davis.

“What type of brain can do that? I don’t know where he’s coming from, but bloody hell, to win that frame after embarrassing yourself - how on earth can you concentrate after that?”

O’Sullivan, showing no obvious ill-effects from the apparent virus that had hampered him during a sluggish first-round win over Pang Junxu, made breaks of 69 and 51 to win the fourth frame and canter into the mid-session interval 3-1 ahead.

Vafaei spurned a series of good chances to seize frame five, which went O’Sullivan’s way after a lengthy safety exchange, and he went 5-1 up after carving his historic century from unpromising beginnings.

O’Sullivan extended his advantage to 6-1, but Vafaei ended a tumultuous session on something of a high when he capitalised on a missed pink from O’Sullivan with a gutsy clearance of 58 to arrest some of the damage.

Summary: O’Sullivan leads Vafaei after act of self-sabotage

18:47 , Lawrence Ostlere

Vafaei had launched an extraordinary verbal assault on O’Sullivan in the wake of his first-round win over Ding Junhui last Sunday, alluding to an incident in their German Masters qualifying match in 2021.

The Iranian accused O’Sullivan of “disrespect” for smashing open the balls from his break-off shot in the final frame of that match, which Vafaei won 5-0. Vafaei added: “He (O’Sullivan) is such a nice person when he is asleep.”

As snooker grudge matches go, it was not exactly at the level of Cliff Thorburn lamping Alex Higgins in a back room at the 1983 Irish Open, nor volatile Australian Quinten Hann offering his opponent Andy Hicks out for a post-frame fight in 2004.

But, in front of a raucous Crucible crowd, MC Rob Walker did his best to cue up the clash like a heavyweight slugfest by announcing O’Sullivan, boxing-style, as the “reigning, defending champion of the wooorld.”

Vafaei offered a wry smile which was not returned by his opponent as they briefly touched gloves, and a steely-faced O’Sullivan proceeded to ruthlessly capitalise on a mistake from the Iranian to rack up a break of 78 and win the first frame.

It ought to have been clear to Vafaei from comments made by O’Sullivan in an interview with Eurosport on the eve of their match that the seven-time champion was unconcerned by his provocative comments.

“I don’t have any revenge in me,” O’Sullivan had said. “I don’t get involved in those battles because it is not worth it. You just have to stay in your own lane and stay focused on what you have to do.”

Summary: O’Sullivan leads Vafaei after act of self-sabotage

18:16 , Lawrence Ostlere

Ronnie O’Sullivan shrugged off an extraordinary act of self-sabotage by opponent Hossein Vafaei to deliver a potential knockout blow in the opening session of their so-called grudge match at the World Snooker Championship.

O’Sullivan racked up his 200th Crucible century as part of a ruthless riposte to Vafaei’s pre-match barbs, while the Iranian did himself no favours by smashing the balls from his first break-off in an ill-judged reaction to perceived disrespect shown to him by O’Sullivan performing the same shot in their last meeting two years ago.

Vafaei’s blast cued up O’Sullivan to mop up with a break of 78 and the defending champion went on to fashion a 6-2 overnight advantage in their second-round clash, leaving him an opportunity to wrap up victory with a session to spare when they resume on Saturday afternoon.

The Iranian was accused of “stupidity” and “disrespecting the sport” by a shocked Steve Davis in the BBC studio, while another former world champion, Shaun Murphy, labelled Vafaei’s antics “an embarrassment” and “completely self-inflicted”.

Ronnie O’Sullivan leads Hossein Vafaei after first session

17:29 , Harry Latham-Coyle

That was, however, very much Ronnie O’Sullivan’s session - he’ll return tomorrow with a four frame lead having looked in total control even after some early Hossein Vafaei histrionics.

On the other table, there’s a great cheer as Stuart Bingham delays the inevitable, stroking in a lovely 102 at 12-3 down to prevent Mark Allen sealing victory.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-2 Hossein Vafaei

17:27 , Harry Latham-Coyle

O’Sullivan can’t force the snooker - Vafaei rolls in the pink to claim a much needed frame back.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-1 Hossein Vafaei

17:24 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Vafaei can’t make a double on the pink stick. He’s 14 ahead with the two colours of most value left - O’Sullivan fancies at least a go at forcing the snooker.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-1 Hossein Vafaei

17:22 , Harry Latham-Coyle

But that’s very well negotiated, cue ball muttering away around the angles to end up in perfect position. Vafaei levels the score in the frame at 44 with the last black and moves up to the yellow.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-1 Hossein Vafaei

17:21 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Now it’s time for Vafaei to keep himself alive. He simply has to convert from here - oddly, he’s not looked out of touch when amongst the balls today but has just not managed to build consistent contributions and afforded O’Sullivan too many opportunities early in frames.

The Iranian leads himself a little straighter than he’d have liked on a red, and makes a similar error rolling through on to the black.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-1 Hossein Vafaei

17:18 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Another pretty yellow allows O’Sullivan to add to a starting red. A couple more follow but a jabby shot with the rest forces a pink off-line - Hossein survives.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-1 Hossein Vafaei

17:14 , Harry Latham-Coyle

O’Sullivan loses the cue ball to end his first visit at 17, and then again having made 11 at the second attempt. He pops in a simply audacious yellow to the middle to reach 30, but that’s all for now.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-1 Hossein Vafaei

17:09 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Another raised hand of apology from Ronnie O’Sullivan - an inadvertent plant that even his expert eyes hadn’t spotted. A pleasant entry into the frame for O’Sullivan, who has generally had the rub of the baize today.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-1 Hossein Vafaei

17:04 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Vafaei finds a back alleyway, but leaves the yellow on. In it goes; green, brown, blue, pink, black - 6-1 O’Sullivan.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 5-1 Hossein Vafaei

17:02 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The black goes in to take his tally to 42, but a missed yellow means Vafaei’s visiting time is over. O’Sullivan can’t access a potting angle, but plays a fine snooker, the brown and the pink (on the brown’s spot) offering an inviting disguise to hide behind.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 5-1 Hossein Vafaei

17:01 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Vafaei creates a sliver of room by the right middle, the red creeping around the corner and tumbling in to the pocket. He just about gets to the topside of the blue, too, allowing him to sail in to perfect position to pat home the penultimate red.

The last of the one-pointers is left on the cushion. Double? Yes, emphatically converted. He’s straight on the black so there is still work to be done, but this has been impressive so far.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 5-1 Hossein Vafaei

16:58 , Harry Latham-Coyle

O’Sullivan gets to 61 before running aground slightly, going into the pack but losing the cue ball and ending up with nowt available. He tries to pick at the bottom ball of a three-strong cluster but it skews off-line.

Two well struck reds give Vafaei a glimmer of a chance, but the rest of them will need liberating.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 5-1 Hossein Vafaei

16:53 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Things are going downhill rather rapidly for Hossein Vafaei, Ronnie O’Sullivan back break building in short order as the seventh frame begins.

Also appearing to be on a slide that ends at the exit door is Stuart Bingham - Mark Allen is 11-3 up needing only two frames more to seal his quarter final place.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 5-1 Hossein Vafaei

16:48 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The crowd thump their palms together to salute century number 200 of Ronnie O’Sullivan’s Crucible career - the first of the tournament for the Rocket to move four ahead.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-1 Hossein Vafaei

16:46 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A little excursion up to baulk for O’Sullivan as he deals with some outstanding red-related business up by the brown, and then back down into the meat of the table to build his lead. The fifth-from-last red is frame ball, and progress to it never really looked in doubt.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-1 Hossein Vafaei

16:41 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Sensational! That’s a brilliant way to open the scoring, O’Sullivan spectacularly driving home from distance, played with plenty of screw to hold for a colour as the red is dispatched inexorably for the heart of the corner pocket.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-1 Hossein Vafaei

16:36 , Harry Latham-Coyle

And this could get rather boring - both players nudge against the bottom of the bunch with few other options available. Ordinarily, this might prompt a re-rack but these two aren’t on wonderful terms, avoiding eye contact like a teenager with a teacher seeking overdue homework.

O’Sullivan ends the impasse by playing up to the red he missed earlier.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-1 Hossein Vafaei

16:34 , Harry Latham-Coyle

O’Sullivan has just kept Vafaei firmly at arm’s length this afternoon, the Rocket yet to really take off in this session but building a commanding advantage. He’s looked calm and controlled throughout, happy to trust his safety play rather than try much of unneccessary extravagance.

That is slightly more jaunty, unfurling a hit and hope for the green pocket, but still ensuring he leaves the cue ball safe as the red pings away from the corner. No score yet in frame six.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-1 Hossein Vafaei

16:30 , Harry Latham-Coyle

And that’s that for the frame. Vafaei leaves a red exposed three inches from a corner pocket, O’Sullivan sending the cue ball ambling down to help it home. O’Sullivan extends his lead.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 3-1 Hossein Vafaei

16:27 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A raised hand of apology from Ronnie O’Sullivan - a fluke to extend his lead to 20 points! He’s walking back to his seat, turning half an eye back to the table and then pivoting when it ends up buried in the bottom corner. 49-29 with two reds left and no further score.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 3-1 Hossein Vafaei

16:24 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The black earns Vafaei a point and the blue five more, but that’ll be that, the Iranian unable to even attempt to free one of the remaining reds. Vafaei bites his lip - that’s a bit of a missed chance.

O’Sullivan misses a long-range pot by quite a distance. On we go.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 3-1 Hossein Vafaei

16:22 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The two players engage in a battle of will and wiles, hiding the three reds in turn with neither making a major error. Vafaei snookers O’Sullivan between the pink and the black, forcing the Englishman to come off the top cushion...and cede seven points as he strikes the black on his way back down.

“Free ball” is the call, and Vafaei jumps out of his seat to assess his options.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 3-1 Hossein Vafaei

16:14 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The Rocket has a rapid unscheduled disassembly, thinking a little too much about a kiss on a red adjacent to the black and failing to make certain of the pot. Vafaei behind but still in the frame.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 3-1 Hossein Vafaei

16:12 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Against a player like Ronnie O’Sullivan, you really do have to capitalise when he gives you opportunities. Vafaei is profligate, missing a simple enough red, and his opponent is back into his work needing two more reds and colours to secure the frame.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 3-1 Hossein Vafaei

16:07 , Harry Latham-Coyle

O’Sullivan finds himself in a pickle after failing to sufficiently open the pack with his first attempted entry. A difficult red to the middle inspects the mandibles. 32-16 his lead in the frame.

Over on the other table, Mark Allen has extended his lead to 9-3, with Stuart Bingham’s championship hopes quickly fading.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 3-1 Hossein Vafaei

16:03 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Vafaei tallies 16 before he too errs, a red in and out of the same left corner pocket where O’Sullivan had missed a couple of minutes earlier. The Rocket rifles in a red to restart his scoring.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 3-1 Hossein Vafaei

16:02 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A lovely safety from O’Sullivan draws a mistake out of Vafaei. The Englishman reaches five but clumsily leaves himself an awkward angle on a black along the cushion, which doesn’t drop.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 3-1 Hossein Vafaei

15:56 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Our lead pair are back out there, suitably refreshed after the interval. How will Hossein Vafaei approach these next four frames? His potting has been a little wayward so far.

Mark Allen surging clear of Stuart Bingham

15:43 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Things are rapidly getting away from Stuart Bingham, who has just squandered a real opportunity in frame eleven to slip even further behind, missing the final black with the rest.

That’s three frames this afternoon and four in a row for Mark Allen, who now leads 8-3.

World Snooker Championship: Morning session report

15:38 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Neil Robertson recovered from 3-0 down to finish the opening session all square at 4-4 against Jak Jones in the second round of the World Snooker Championship.

Crucible debutant Jones, who upset two-time finalist Ali Carter 10-6 in the opening round, missed a red when poised to open up a 4-0 lead and former champion Robertson took full advantage to peg the Welshman back.

Jones came out on top after a marathon first frame, which lasted nearly three-quarters of an hour.

He followed up with a break of 122 to go 2-0 up and at the start of the third frame 2010 winner Robertson had not potted a ball for 30 minutes.Jones then opened up a 3-0 lead, but a missed red in the fourth frame halted a score of 46 and world number six Robertson hit back with successive breaks of 89 and 95 to make it 3-2.

Qualifier Jones composed himself to move 4-2 up with a 77-break before another missed red while on 48 cost him the seventh frame and Robertson then levelled it up by taking the eighth.

PA

Neil Robertson fights back to draw level with Crucible debutant Jak Jones

Ronnie O’Sullivan 3-1 Hossein Vafaei

15:35 , Harry Latham-Coyle

O’Sullivan deliberates over a red along the cushion behind the black, eventually turning it down. But when Vafaei misses a double, O’Sullivan will take it on, the ball whispering in both ears but eventually finding the safe embrace of the pocket. That will be the frame, clearing to the blue. 3-1 at the mid-session interval.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 2-1 Hossein Vafaei

15:27 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Up through the gears goes O’Sullivan, cruising to 69 and frame ball. But an ill-conceived cannon leaves 75 still on the table with no red on. It’s a significant advantage - but not frame-securing.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 2-1 Hossein Vafaei

15:23 , Harry Latham-Coyle

That is, conversely, a telling error from Vafaei, striking the wrong red on his way through to a pot. O’Sullivan up and running with the bunch Jackson Pollocked across the baize.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 2-1 Hossein Vafaei

15:19 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Behind the wall, Mark Allen has extended his lead to three frames (6-3) against Stuart Bingham, a solid 53 helping him take the first frame after the resumption.

Some slight sloppiness from both Ronnie O’Sullivan and Hossein Vafaei at the start of their fourth since the session start, but neither player is left with anything readily available to take on. Both turn down ambitious pots to play safe.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 2-1 Hossein Vafaei

15:15 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A difficult pink poses O’Sullivan problems - the colours are cleared to that point but he can’t quite direct his screw to strike it.

And that’s a loose safety, leaving a thin cut to the top left corner that Vafaei is more than happy to convert. A first frame for the Iranian, who tosses his cue on the table as he disappears for a comfort break.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 2-0 Hossein Vafaei

15:12 , Harry Latham-Coyle

That’s the Hossein Vafaei we want to see. He’s a wonderfully natural potter, and much too good to be overly concerned with the histrionics that he showed with that second frame break off. There are two reds left before he even really has to think, caressing in the penultimate one and then taking the black to leave a double on the last...

No dice! A valiant effort from Vafaei but he’s only 33 ahead with 35 remaining. A chance for O’Sullivan...who immediately pounces.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 2-0 Hossein Vafaei

15:06 , Harry Latham-Coyle

No quick conversion this time, though - O’Sullivan gets stuck in the scarlet throng, white ball caught on the bottom of a group of three reds and thus ending his efforts at 30. 31-0 his lead.

And that’s one heck of a pot, Vafaei sending a red from coast to coast up into the green pocket. Sparkling stuff from the Iranian, who you feel now really needs to get himself into this match.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 2-0 Hossein Vafaei

15:03 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Stephen Henry is worried about Vafaei’s approach so far, suggesting that the Iranian needs to settle. The Scot says on commentary: “I hoe for his sake he concentrates on this match and tries to play his best game,” just before the 28-year-old misses another long red.

O’Sullivan capitalises from the rest.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 2-0 Hossein Vafaei

15:01 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Ronnie O’Sullivan tongue pops out like a moray eel, the Englishman frustrated after his cue ball hits an obstacle as it clambers back up towards the lower value colours. There’s no potting angle on the black - just a single point and back to his seat he goes.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 2-0 Hossein Vafaei

14:59 , Harry Latham-Coyle

No further addition to the scores at the start of the session as Mark Allen and Stuart Bingham feel their way back around the baize - it remains 5-3 on the other table.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 2-0 Hossein Vafaei

14:58 , Harry Latham-Coyle

“It’s not nice, it’s not good,” Steve Davis says of Hossein Vafaei’s decision to play that curious break-off. “It’s not a personal game, snooker - your problem is the table and the balls, not your opponent.”

“Without your composure, you lose everything,” warns Shaun Murphy.

O’Sullivan opts for a more conventional starting shot, leaving nothing for Vafaei to take on.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 2-0 Hossein Vafaei

14:56 , Harry Latham-Coyle

And just like that, it’s 2-0. A gift-wrapped frame for Ronnie O’Sullivan, who makes 78 again to secure it.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 1-0 Hossein Vafaei

14:52 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Of course, O’Sullivan managed to pot a ball on that occasion - no such luck for Vafaei here and he’s given his opponent the simplest of entries into the frame. O’Sullivan quickly climbs to 38.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 1-0 Hossein Vafaei

14:51 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Hello! That’s novel from Hossein Vafaei, taking a page out of Ronnie O’Sullivan’s book and thumping into the bunch in a moment of chaotic dispersion. You may recall that O’Sullivan did that during Vafaei’s German Masters thrashing. Hmm.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 1-0 Hossein Vafaei

14:47 , Harry Latham-Coyle

An ominous start from O’Sullivan. His break is curtailed at 78 as the blue stays out of the green pocket - but the first frame is his.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-0 Hossein Vafaei

14:45 , Harry Latham-Coyle

O’Sullivan strokes in four of five exposed reds before opting to open them up, playing off the black with plenty of screw to bother the bottom of the bunch. It’s not the most comprehensive split, so he’ll have to go in again...

Has he left himself on anything? An out-of-character error from the seven-time champion, not leaving a red in obvious potting position.

But that’s a superb salvage, a red hurtling into the yellow pocket to keep the break alive. Up to 46 now.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-0 Hossein Vafaei

14:42 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Vafaei has another scoring opportunity but can’t find the corner, allowing O’Sullivan to open his account and move in front by knocking the black in.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-0 Hossein Vafaei

14:40 , Harry Latham-Coyle

That’s unfortunate for Vafaei, a horribly heavy contact on the black to end his break before it had even began. 1-0, and O’Sullivan plays safe up to baulk.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-0 Hossein Vafaei

14:38 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Vafaei wastes no time, settling down to take on a long red to the left corner, but not finding the right angle.

He’s not left anything obvious, but O’Sullivan spots a plant at the bottom of the bunch. Off goes the cue ball...caught in the jaws! Vafaei has a gap through and opens the scoring.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-0 Hossein Vafaei

14:37 , Harry Latham-Coyle

We’ll have updates from the continuation of Bingham-Allen throughout the afternoon, but our focus is, of course, primarily on the first frames of this hotly anticipated second round tie.

O’Sullivan to break - we are up and running at the Crucible.

Out come the players

14:36 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Warm welcomes for both Stuart Bingham and Mark Allen as they step out of the Crucible wings. Hossein Vafaei is loving this - there’s a cheeky grin on his face as he plays to the crowd a little.

Plenty of noise for Vafaei - plenty more for Ronnie O’Sullivan. It’s lively, that’s for certain.

Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Hossein Vafaei

14:33 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The players are readying themselves in the corridor outside of the arena. Hossein Vafaei appears to chuckle as Ronnie O’Sullivan wanders past him - was there a word or two from O’Sullivan as he went? Vafaei pats the bottom of his cue on the floor.

Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Hossein Vafaei

14:29 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Right, here we go - a fourth ever meeting between Ronnie O’Sullivan and Hossein Vafaei. The Englishman leads the head-to-head 2-1 - but that sole Vafaei victory at the German Masters really was something. This is already the deepest the Iranian has ever been at the World Championship.

Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Hossein Vafaei

14:17 , Harry Latham-Coyle

21 April is a special date in the career of Ronnie O’Sullivan - it’s now 26 years since he did this at the Crucible...

Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Hossein Vafaei

14:04 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The winner of this afternoon’s featured match will take on either Luca Brecel or Mark Williams in the quarter-finals - it’s certainly a tasty top of the draw.

But if Ronnie O’Sullivan is anywhere near top form, a record eighth world title will surely be his. Ahead of the tournament, Lawrence Ostlere explained why the sport needs his chaotic genius more than ever.

Snooker needs Ronnie O’Sullivan’s chaotic genius more than ever

World Snooker Championship

13:57 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The morning’s other match saw Welshman Jak Jones surge into a surprise 3-0 advantage over Neil Robertson, though the Australian southpaw has come roaring back and the pair ended the session level at four apiece.

The methodical Jones is making his Crucible debut and stunned Ali Carter in the first round, and has a good record against Robertson. That could well go the distance.

Luca Brecel takes narrow lead over Mark Williams

13:55 , Harry Latham-Coyle

But we have already had some action on the baize today, with Mark Williams and Luca Brecel’s second round match bubbling away rather nicely. The two players have predictably entertained in an even encounter, with the Belgian 9-7 ahead and already with three centuries in the match. That resumes later tonight.

World Snooker Championship

13:50 , Harry Latham-Coyle

There’s still a little while before the action gets underway at the Crucible this afternoon. The other match in this session is a battle between two former Masters winners, with Mark Allen currently 5-3 up on Stuart Bingham.

Ronnie O’Sullivan responds to Hossein Vafaei’s comments

13:45 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Ronnie O’Sullivan responded to Hossein Vafaei’s comments yesterday in an in interview with Eurosport: “I don’t know what to say, really, other than I wish every snooker player well.

“I know that everyone on the circuit works really hard, sometimes on the circuit for 10-20 years, they don’t get many rewards, and when they do, it is nice.

“We are all on this circuit together and you can’t begrudge any good results so I hold no hard feelings for anyone because obviously it is a tough gig and we are all here just trying to do our best.

“So I don’t take it personally. I think I’m kind of used to that, I had it as a junior growing up, I had it as an amateur, I had it as an early-season pro, and you still continue to get it.

“It has kind of followed me around my whole career really, but it is what it is, you know? You just have to play your game and just do your job.

“I think maybe I am a bit of an easy target because if I do an interview about my own game or whatever, obviously they will pick something out and there will be a headline. If I’m not playing, then generally they will ask other players what they think about what I’ve said, and the interview is about them talking about me.

“So I can’t win, really - do you know what I mean? The press is always going to find a question to ask someone. Some people are going to have stronger opinions than others so they are going to voice those opinions. It just is what it is.”

Mark Williams fears Hossein Vafaei’s comments could prompt reaction from Ronnie O’Sullivan

13:40 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Snooker would certainly seem to lend itself to a bit of mindgames, but you do wonder if Hossein Vafaei has quite thought this gambit through. Ronnie O’Sullivan has spoken previously about sometimes needing a little bit of extra motivation to play at his best - and at his best, very, very few can live with the seven-time world champion.

Mark Williams wonders if Vafaei might have made a major error...

Mark Williams questions merit of Hossein Vafaei rant against Ronnie O’Sullivan

Hossein Vafaei aims jab at Ronnie O’Sullivan ahead of second round meeting

13:35 , Harry Latham-Coyle

“Ronnie was my hero,” said Vafaei, who became the first Iranian to qualify for the Crucible in 2022, earlier this week.

“I could never see myself beating him. When I beat him 5-0 I was a little bit sad, but on another side happy because I showed I can play. He will remember that, 100 per cent. Play like a man. Don’t play mind games or smash the balls and disrespect me when 70 or 80 million people are watching me in Iran. Now he’s my opponent. This is life.

“I believe that everything happens for a reason, you can’t run away. If you do something bad to the people and break someone else’s heart, then God will give you an opportunity to get revenge.”

Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Hossein Vafaei

13:29 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Hossein Vafaei is set to discover whether he will be made to pay for his outspoken comments about seven-time champion Ronnie O’Sullivan when the pair start their second-round match in the World Snooker Championship this afternoon.

Vafaei hurled verbal barbs at his former friend following his first-round win over Ding Junhui last weekend, accusing the 47-year-old of “disrespect” following an incident in 2021 German Masters qualifying, and adding: “He’s such a nice guy when he’s asleep.”

Opinions are split over whether the Iranian, ranked 23 in the world, made a wise choice in prodding O’Sullivan ahead of their best-of-25, three-day clash that is scheduled to conclude over the weekend.

Ronnie O’Sullivan set for feisty match with World Championship rival Hossein Vafaei

Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Hossein Vafaei

13:22 , Luke Baker

Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

This afternoon sees the most eagerly-anticipated match of the championship so far get underway as seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan takes on the outspoken Hossein Vafaei in the second round.

Vafaei made plenty of headlines during the build-up by calling out O’Sullivan and there will be no love lost between the pair on the baize.

Stick with us for all the latest updates