Ronnie O’Sullivan, aiming to surpass Stephen Hendry’s legendary seven Crucible triumphs, kicked off his pursuit of an unprecedented eighth world title with an impressive display against Welsh qualifier Jackson Page. The 48-year-old maestro showcased his mastery, establishing a commanding 8-1 lead over the 22-year-old Page, currently ranked 43rd in the world rankings.
A flurry of impressive breaks, including scores of 54, 56, 81, 122, 66, and 53, underscored O’Sullivan’s dominance, leaving him requiring just two frames to clinch victory when play resumes on Thursday afternoon. While Page displayed moments of brilliance, notably crafting a break of 142—the joint highest of the tournament thus far, he struggled to capitalize consistently, scoring 27 points or fewer in seven out of the nine frames contested.
In other matches, Kyren Wilson and Mark Allen secured victories over Dominic Dale and Robbie Williams, respectively. Meanwhile, England’s Jack Lisowski delivered a standout performance, narrowly edging past China’s Ding Junhui with a 10-9 win, setting the stage for a compelling second-round clash against 2015 world champion Stuart Bingham.
The tournament witnessed several upsets as seventh seed Ding Junhui and fifteenth seed Barry Hawkins succumbed to defeats against Ryan Day and Jack Lisowski, respectively. Their exits contributed to a notable trend, with a total of nine seeds falling in the first round, marking only the fourth occurrence in Crucible history, following the years 1980, 1992, and 2012.
As O’Sullivan anticipates a potential victory over Page, eyes turn to his potential next opponent, Ryan Day, who advances to the last 16 for the first time since 2014, promising further excitement and drama in the rounds ahead.
