He is set to resume his match against Tom Ford, though leads 6-2 after five consecutive frame wins to overturn an early deficit. Shaun Murphy and Stephen Maguire also face off this afternoon, reigniting a 20-year-long snooker feud.

The tournament has been forced to deal with considerable controversy in the opening week, however, after Ronnie O’Sullivan called for the showpiece event to be moved away from the Crucible.

He called for either Saudi Arabia or China to host the World Championship after Sheffield’s contract ends in 2027, before backing a LIV-style breakaway tour that would disrupt the sport, shortly after his opening-round victory over Jackson Page.

“There’s talk there might be another tour,” the Rocket said on Thursday. “Every player has the right to do what they want to do – you see it in other sports like golf. The bottom line is you’ve got to be prepared to walk away, if I didn’t get what I want am I prepared to walk away from the sport? And the answer is yes. I’m, happy with my life.”

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