Ronnie O’Sullivan explains success of snooker’s ‘Class of 92’ at World Championship

O’Sullivan, John Higgins and Mark Williams were all in World Championship quarter-final action on Tuesday

Ronnie O’Sullivan leads 6-2 after the opening session (PA)

Hard competition and enduring happiness are the reasons why snooker’s ‘Class of ’92’ have continued to hold the sport’s new generations at bay, according to seven-times world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan.

The 49-year-old eased into a 6-2 lead after the first session of his Crucible quarter-final against Si Jiahui on Tuesday while John Higgins and Mark Williams finsihed the second session of theirs 8-8.

The trio boast 14 world titles between them and and few would dare bet against that number increasing as they continue to cut a swathe through the draw in Sheffield.

Ronnie O’Sullivan established a 6-2 lead over Si Jiahui (Danny Lawson/PA)

“There was a big element of (competition) in the early part of our careers,” said O’Sullivan. “If one did well the others wanted to do better.

“John was the first to win a World Championship, then it was Mark, then me. You’re always wanting to keep up with them.

“I think that stopped a long time ago. We keep going as it is. I’m not sure how much longer we can keep going on for, though. There are so many young players coming through.

“I think we just love the game. We love playing, we love competing. Without it, you think, what would I do with my time? A lot of it is that as well.”

O’Sullivan found it all too easy to build up a commanding lead over Si, who showed few signs of the form that had swept him to the semi-finals on his Crucible debut two years ago.

Si did fashion a century to pull level at 2-2 and rallied again from 4-1 down, but a missed black off its spot when he stood on the verge of reducing the deficit to a single frame cost him dear, as O’Sullivan cleared up and finished the session with a quickfire 121 to put himself firmly in control.

Judd Trump hit two more centuries against Luca Brecel (Danny Lawson/PA)

Higgins and Williams, who number seven world titles between them, are taking part in the oldest last-eight clash since Eddie Charlton beat a 65-year-old Fred Davis in 1979.

Higgins, whose 50th birthday is two weeks after this year's final, led 5-3 at the end of the first session.

But Williams, who turned 50 in March, had claimed the last two frames, including a break of 104, and the Welshman went on to take four of the first five when the action resumed to move ahead, opening with a run of 92.

Scotland's Higgins subsequently hit back, claiming the next two frames, before Williams claimed the final one of the evening to bring the match back all square.

Former champion Luca Brecel clung onto Judd Trump’s coat-tails by winning the last two frames of the opening session – including a break of 128 – to reduce the deficit to 5-3 in a match set to resume on Wednesday.

Trump fired consecutive breaks of 106 and 110 in the fourth and fifth frames, moving him within one of matching Neil Robertson’s record of 102 centuries in a single season.

John Higgins grabbed an early lead over Mark Williams (Danny Lawson/PA)

Zhao Xintong is one frame away from the semi-finals as he dominated the first two sessions of his clash with fellow qualifier Chris Wakelin.

The Chinese player, who is playing as an amateur as he continues his comeback from a 20-month ban for involvement in a betting scandal, was 6-2 up after the first and ended the second 12-4 ahead.