World Snooker Championship 2022: Ronnie O'Sullivan opens up 10-6 lead to take control against John Higgins

Ronnie O'Sullivan has won a record 38 ranking titles

World number one Ronnie O'Sullivan moved into a 10-6 lead over John Higgins to take control of their World Championship semi-final.

Higgins was guilty of a series of loose shots and failing to score heavily from several good chances.

His misery was compounded as O'Sullivan took the 16th frame, his fifth in a row, after a re-spotted black.

O'Sullivan had run through the gears during the later parts of the first session with two tons and three half-centuries and for most of Friday afternoon he was able to pick up where he had left off.

But he was aided significantly by four-time winner Higgins, whose woes began when he inadvertently knocked a red into the bottom left corner after potting the brown and then saw O'Sullivan make a 73 clearance.

The Scot suffered more misfortune in the 10th frame, potting the black but seeing the cue ball flick off the green into the left middle pocket.

However, when O'Sullivan missed a difficult long red he levelled the match and the pair traded frames to go into the mid-session interval at 6-6.

But from there O'Sullivan cut loose, with runs of 91, 55 and 70 to add to an earlier 99, while Higgins continuously broke down among the balls and missed a routine black off the spot in the final frame of the session which would have limited the damage.

Trump in charge against three-time winner Williams

Judd Trump remains in firm charge of his semi-final after opening up an 11-5 lead over three-time champion Mark Williams.

Trailing 7-1 overnight, Williams made his 13th century of the tournament in a much-improved display but was unable to rein in 2019 winner Trump.

Trump made breaks of 114, 100, 50 and 79 to retain his six-frame cushion.

Having apologised on Twitter for his performance in the first session, Welshman Williams - in his seventh world semi-final - looked more at ease when play resumed and immediately reduced his arrears.

Englishman Trump responded with a break of 114, his highest of the tournament, and rattled in another century in the next frame.

Williams made a brilliant 119 - he has now compiled more century breaks at this year's tournament than any he has previously featured in - to move within three of equalling Stephen Hendry's record of 16 in 2002.

When Williams made a 70 in the final frame it ensured he avoided the possibility of falling to the heaviest last-four defeat since Hendry lost 17-4 to O'Sullivan in 2004.

However, he still faces the huge challenge of making significant inroads against an opponent who appears to be regaining his best form, with Trump capable of wrapping up victory with a session to spare when play resumes at 19:00.

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