Ronnie O’Sullivan exhibited his dominance in the first session of his opening match at the Crucible, constructing an impressive 8-1 lead over Jackson Page. O’Sullivan showcased his prowess from the outset, compiling four half-century breaks and a remarkable 122 in the fifth frame. Page, making his second appearance at the Crucible, had ample early opportunities but his careless errors proved costly. The young Welsh qualifier managed to salvage one frame with a superb 142 break in the seventh frame, but it ultimately proved too little, too late.
O’Sullivan, who appears relaxed and focused on his quest for an eighth world title, controlled the tempo and stifled Page’s attempts to gain momentum. Page’s missed opportunities in the opening frames paved the way for O’Sullivan to establish an early advantage. A careless missed brown in the middle pocket presented the world number one with another straightforward chance to extend his lead. O’Sullivan continued his dominance, capturing the next two frames before Page showed signs of resilience in the sixth. Page crafted a gutsy 23 but ultimately ran out of position, allowing O’Sullivan to sweep up and maintain his dominance.
Page received applause for his seventh-frame clearance, which equaled the highest break of the tournament thus far, but it was a fleeting moment of success. O’Sullivan promptly claimed the following two frames, leaving him just two frames away from securing his place in the second round.
In another match, Kyren Wilson missed out on a maximum break but secured a resounding 10-1 victory over Dominic Dale. Wilson potted 11 reds and blacks in the final frame but narrowly missed a mid-range red, falling short of repeating the 147 he achieved against Ryan Day last year. Nonetheless, the 32-year-old wrapped up the match on Wednesday morning, marking the most comprehensive victory at the Crucible since Mark Selby’s 10-1 win over Kurt Maflin in 2021.
Wilson’s impressive performance signals a welcome return to form, as he has struggled to reach a tour final this season and has faced personal challenges due to illnesses affecting his family. The 2020 runner-up, known for his endurance and success at the Crucible, believes he possesses the necessary qualities to excel in the grueling 17-day event.
Mark Allen faced a tougher challenge against qualifier Robbie Williams, ultimately securing a 10-6 win after starting the final session with a 7-2 advantage. The fourth seed, who reached the semi-finals last year, lost the first two frames of the day and struggled to gain momentum against Williams’ determined effort. However, a break of 114 eventually sealed Allen’s victory.
Jack Lisowski displayed resilience to defeat seventh seed Ding Junhui in a deciding frame, setting up a last-16 encounter with former champion Stuart Bingham.
