Spectacle! Every other word would be an insult to describe this duel between players who together hold 11 world champion titles. One of the greatest sports rivalries, even in their later years, delivered a memorable spectacle. Higgins trailed 9-4 but ultimately managed to eliminate his eternal rival O'Sullivan with a victory in the deciding frame.
O'Sullivan arrived in Sheffield this year aiming to win a record eighth world title, but after the second round and the duel with Higgins, he will remain on seven titles, matching Stephen Hendry's tally.
The comeback began last night during the second session. After one miss, O'Sullivan showed his frustration by slamming his hand on the table, as if he knew what was coming. Higgins closed the gap to just two frames behind last night.
The Scot was unstoppable today. He leveled at 11-11 with his third century break of the duel, then took the lead with a break of 88 points. O'Sullivan managed to fight back to 12-12 with a break of 81, setting up a deciding frame. Higgins handled it better and advanced to the quarterfinals.
In the quarterfinals of the biggest snooker tournament, Higgins will face the winner of the duel between Neil Robertson and Chris Wakelin. Robertson currently leads 10-6 and is on the verge of an expected advancement.
Here are all the results from the last 16 of the World Championship: Murphy - Guodong 13:3 Higgins - O'Sullivan 13:12 Robertson - Wakelin 10:6 (ongoing) Allen - K. Wilson 13:9 Hawkins - Williams 13:9 Yize - Selby 12:11 (ongoing) Trump - Vafaei 9:7 (ongoing)