Iran's Hossein Vafaei produced the biggest upset of this year's World Snooker Championship, defeating world No. 1 Judd Trump 13-12 in a final-frame decider at the Crucible. Vafaei, who had trailed 10-7 and 12-11, sealed victory with a composed break of 91 in the 25th frame to reach the quarter-finals for the first time.
"He's such a tough opponent. I respect him on and off the table," said Vafaei, who received a standing ovation and warm congratulations from Trump. "Today I played better than yesterday and I managed it better than before. I've been working on the mental side, I've wanted to be calmer and perform."
Earlier, Ronnie O'Sullivan's bid for a record-breaking eighth world title ended in dramatic fashion as John Higgins recovered from a 9-4 deficit to win six frames in a row and complete a 13-12 victory. Higgins fired three centuries in the final session, while O'Sullivan, who had twice led by five frames, was left to rue missed opportunities.
O'Sullivan admitted he had been pessimistic about his chances, having booked a flight home before the match. "I was realistic about my chances. I haven't been in any big matches for two years," he said. "Playing the top boys in a real pressure situation now, I knew it was going to kind of expose me in some sort of way."
Higgins, who had looked out of sorts in the early stages, described the win as one of the best of his career. "I'm just delighted I came to the party in the third session," he said. In another match, Mark Selby lost 13-11 to China's Wu Yize, and criticised the playing conditions as "horrific".
