Ronnie O'Sullivan knocked out of World Championship after epic John Higgins comeback

Callum Vurley
Mon, 27 Apr 2026 15:28:42 +0000

John Higgins has pulled off one of the most extraordinary comebacks in World Snooker Championship history, defeating Ronnie O'Sullivan 13-12 in an absolute thriller at the Crucible.

The four-time world champion looked down and out when he trailed 8-3 and then 9-4 against the seven-time winner, who was chasing a record eighth title in the modern era.

But the Wizard of Wishaw simply refused to give up.

What followed was nothing short of sensational, with the 50-year-old Scot fighting back frame by frame to secure his place in the quarter-finals in Sheffield.

O'Sullivan looked in devastating form during the opening exchanges, rattling off breaks of 86, 82, 137 and 95 to race into a 4-1 advantage.

By the end of Saturday's first session, the Rocket had established a commanding 6-2 lead.

Sunday brought more of the same initially, with O'Sullivan extending his grip to 8-3 and then 9-4, leaving Higgins staring at elimination.

But then everything changed.

Higgins claimed the final three frames of Sunday evening in tense, dramatic fashion, with O'Sullivan's frustration boiling over as he punched the table during the 16th frame.

“A Crucible classic!” 😮

John Higgins wins the deciding frame against Ronnie O'Sullivan to reach the quarter-finals! pic.twitter.com/54kiFoa5Dp
— TNT Sports (@tntsports) April 27, 2026

The deficit was suddenly just 9-7, and momentum had shifted dramatically.

Monday afternoon delivered a masterclass from both legends, and the quality was simply breathtaking.

Stephen Hendry, watching for the BBC, declared it the finest session he had ever witnessed.

Higgins stormed out of the blocks with breaks of 59, 118 and 128 to grab the lead for the first time at 10-9.

O'Sullivan refused to crumble, though, clawing back to 11-10 before the pair traded blows all the way to a decider.

In that nerve-shredding final frame, both men squandered chances with missed reds.

Higgins eventually steadied himself, compiling a break of 49 to seal an unforgettable victory as the crowd rose to their feet.

"I came to the party, at last!" Higgins told the BBC after his remarkable triumph.

The Scot was full of praise for his opponent, saying: "I thought Ronnie played, in and about the balls, it was the best I've ever seen him hit the balls, he was cueing it so well."

He also reflected on the special atmosphere, adding: "That was an incredible atmosphere, especially when we walked out there alongside Mark [Williams] two nights ago."

Higgins, who lifted the trophy in 1998, 2007, 2009 and 2011, will now face either 2010 champion Neil Robertson or world number 13 Chris Wakelin in the last eight.