When the draw was first announced, this was the potential tie, that excited everyone.
Both players comfortably got through their first-round games, O’Sullivan beating China’s He Guoqiang 10-2 with three century breaks and Higgins having to battle agaisnt the captian Ali Carter after a tight first session, yet the scotsman came through winning 10-7
This is Snooker’s El Clásico; they have met six times at the Crucible with the head-to-head split at 3-3. With Ronnie winning the last meeting 17-11 back in 2022 at the Semi Final Stage.
Higgins leads the frame head-to-head 80-76, but Ronnie leads the century head-to-head at 12-9. With a total points score at 16,664.
Both men have a combined 11 world championships, with Ronnie’s last in 2022 and John’s comming 15 years ago in 2011.
Higgins especially has come close since 2011, famosuly losing three finals in a row.
Higgins won 2 two ranking events in 2025, his first in four years, but in 26′ he’s yet to pick up a trophy, but three finals, four semi final appernaces has lent to a more consistent campaign. Reaching two of his three finals in 2026. So Higgins is in form.
Whereas Ronnie has played very little snooker this season, with his most recent appearance coming in March at the Yushan Open, where he made the highest break in Snooker History a 153.
So everything says that we are in for a cracker.
