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Higgins Stuns O'Sullivan 13-12 as Upsets Ripple

4/28/2026

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Summary

Higgins Upsets O'Sullivan

John Higgins defeated Ronnie O'Sullivan 13-12 at the World Championship, ending O'Sullivan’s bid for an eighth title.
Judd Trump lost 13-12 to Hossein Vafaei after Vafaei erased a 9-7 deficit with 106 and 91 breaks.
Mark Selby lost 13-11 to Wu Yize, describing the Crucible table as horrific.
Neil Robertson secured a quarter-final spot by beating Chris Wakelin 13-7.

Summary

O'Sullivan Dominates Higgins

Ronnie O'Sullivan leads John Higgins 3-1 in World Championship knockout encounters.
Ronnie O'Sullivan defeated John Higgins 13-12 in the 1996 quarter-final.
Ronnie O'Sullivan beat John Higgins 18-14 in the 2001 final to claim his fourth title.
John Higgins turned the tide by beating Ronnie O'Sullivan 13-10 in the 2011 quarter-final.
Ronnie O'Sullivan won the 2022 semi-final against John Higgins 17-11.

History

Historical Context

Since the Crucible became the championship venue in 1977, the hierarchy shifted when Ronnie O'Sullivan won his first world title in 2001, beating John Higgins 18-14 as the event featured 53 century breaks. The 2024 Crucible round-offs, with Higgins edging O'Sullivan 13-12 and Luca Vafaei defeating Judd Trump, signal a new competitive balance.

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Higgins Upsets O'Sullivan

John Higgins defeated Ronnie O'Sullivan 13-12 at the World Championship, ending O'Sullivan’s bid for an eighth title.
Judd Trump lost 13-12 to Hossein Vafaei after Vafaei erased a 9-7 deficit with 106 and 91 breaks.
Mark Selby lost 13-11 to Wu Yize, describing the Crucible table as horrific.
Neil Robertson secured a quarter-final spot by beating Chris Wakelin 13-7.

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