Ronnie O’Sullivan vs John Higgins: Clash of the giants that could decide destiny of the world title

We have been telling each other for years in snooker that we must appreciate the three members of the “Class of 92” – Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins and Mark Williams – while they are still around.

That does feel particularly pertinent now, as the second-round match between O’Sullivan and Higgins – both aged 50 – at the World Championship could quite easily be their last encounter at this old event.

Both players have made a profound impact on the sport, and their rivalry has been a privilege to witness across the decades. The respect between the pair is almost sacrosanct.

It is 30 years now since the first of their six meetings so far at this tournament. Higgins actually spoke about their 1996 quarter-final in recent days here, recalling that O’Sullivan’s involvement was in doubt right up to the 11th hour after he assaulted press officer Mike Ganley.

Higgins said he didn’t know whether the match was going ahead until he got a phone call that morning. He admitted his reaction was: “For fuck’s sake.” O’Sullivan edged Higgins out 13-12. The Scot gained his revenge when claiming a 17-9 victory in their 1998 semi-final – on the way to his first title – before their only meeting in a world final in 2001, O’Sullivan winning 18-14 to become champion for the first time.

Higgins won 13-9 in a 2007 quarter-final, and 13-10 when they again met in the last eight in 2011. The common denominator? Higgins went on to lift the trophy both times.

O’Sullivan took the honours in their last Crucible meeting, a 17-11 semi-final success in 2022 that paved the way for a seventh world crown. Higgins was crestfallen that weekend that he didn’t perform better.

This time, the chances are that he will do himself more justice. Higgins may not have put any trophies in the cabinet in the 2025-26 season, but he has been one of the sport’s most consistent performers, reaching three tournament finals – including at the Masters in January – and three semi-finals. And Higgins showed in his 10-7 first-round victory over Ali Carter that he has lost none of the tenacious qualities that have served him so well for so long.

O’Sullivan has barely played at all this year, but when he did at last month’s World Open in China, he was at times spellbinding, making a 153 break – the highest of all time – in his quarter-final victory over Ryan Day and going on to reach the final, where he lost to Thepchaiya Un-Nooh.

It felt like an attempt at mind games (and a pretty half-baked one at that) when O’Sullivan talked about going into the match against Higgins as an underdog. The Crucible Theatre is O’Sullivan’s domain after all, and any worries over rustiness were surely dispelled when he overwhelmed He Guoqiang 10-2 in the first round.

The meeting of these two iconic figures is the overriding highlight of the second round, but there are sumptuous treats around every corner. That was always going to be the case when 15 of the 16 seeds won through in the opening stage.

In China, the transformation from snooker backwater to major force has been a compelling one, and the match between world champion Zhao Xintong and superstar Ding Junhui is a fitting symbol of changing times.

Zhao clearly has the world at his feet after his Crucible triumph 12 months ago and impressive recent run of tournament successes, but make no mistake, Ding is still the beloved godfather of Chinese snooker. The 39-year-old burst on to the scene when beating Stephen Hendry to win the China Open title at the age of 18 in 2005 and he has been carrying the torch for his country ever since.

With all three sessions of the match being shown in the evening Beijing time, the television audience in China will be enormous.

Elsewhere in the last 16, a meeting of different generations and styles will be on show when Mark Selby plays Wu Yize. Four-time champion Selby says he feels in an upbeat place right now and is the ultimate “horses for courses” man at this tournament. In short, the man is pure granite.

The effervescent Wu, who at 22 is two decades younger than Selby, offers a thrill ride whenever he plays. Both O’Sullivan and Shaun Murphy have recently tipped him to become world champion, and it could well happen sooner rather than later.

The 2026 World Championship has been something of a slow burner so far. We did have one match going to a deciding frame in the first round – Murphy holding his nerve to beat Fan Zhengyi – but a fair few of the qualifiers ran out of steam and there’s a feeling that the proper drama is still to come.

There is an unmistakable air of contentment among fans this year, largely due to the new Crucible deal that ensures this event will stay here long into the future. It is a golden ticket in sport. And it’s not just about the arena now. Sheffield embraces this event like never before. Outside the theatre in Tudor Square, there is something of a festival feel as fans sit in deckchairs to watch the action unfold on television.

We’re heading into the business end of the tournament. The big hitters are present and correct, and we are now guaranteed a number of tantalising matchups. Don’t take your eyes off the screen.

Photograph by Tai Chengzhe/VCG via Getty Images