• World Snooker Championship

Rocket on track for Crucible title

Ronnie O'Sullivan leads by three going into Monday's play © PA Photos

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Ronnie O'Sullivan holds a 10-7 half-way lead in his best-of-35-frames World Snooker Championship final against Ali Carter at the Crucible.

O'Sullivan took the second session five frames to four as he edged closer towards a fourth world title, while Carter is on course to fare better than he did last time he met O'Sullivan at this stage: in 2008, when he lost 18-8.

Carter had been unable to reply to 257 O'Sullivan points before he got himself on the board in the ninth, slowly piecing together a 56 to cut the deficit to one. O'Sullivan restored his two-frame cushion with an early 49 that Carter never looked to have any answer to.

O'Sullivan looked destined to bag the 11th when he notched a run of 68 and then played safe to baulk, but a brilliant pot opened the door for Carter - although he was unable to walk through, much to his frustration as he slammed the cue into the floor.

The 12th was from from a classic: Carter should have won it on numerous occasions before, having taken an age to compose himself, he finally did for 7-5. However, he failed to snatch back-to-back frames as a couple of sloppy mistakes allowed O'Sullivan to once again go three ahead.

And he was four ahead after Carter sent the cue ball in just when he was starting to come to life in the 14th. But to his credit, he remained undeterred by that blow and grabbed the 15th with a confidence-boosting knock of 59.

A 62 from O'Sullivan precipitated a long snooker battle in the 16th, which Carter never really looked in charge of before he eventually surrendered the frame. He did manage to grab he 17th, though, leaving three as the gap for the start of Monday's play.

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