Ronnie O'Sullivan emerged leading 5-4 following a hard fought opening session with Ali Carter at the Halo World Championship in Sheffield.
The pair have been embroiled in a fiercely contested rivalry spanning many years. However, encounters between the pair have a one sided outlook, with O’Sullivan leading the head-to-head standings 19-1.
Carter’s one win over the Rocket came in a heated meeting at the 2018 World Championship, where they clashed shoulders and exchanged words during play. They had another fiery clash in the 2024 Masters final, when O’Sullivan prevailed 10-7.
O’Sullivan is making his much-awaited first appearance on tour in a ranking event since the UK Championship last November. The seven-time World Champion has withdrawn from a number of events since then on medical grounds. He admitted in the build up to the World Championship that he has had to overcome nerves and stage fright to participate.
When play got underway, it was six-time ranking event winner Carter who took the opener to establish an early advantage. He led in the second frame, but 49-year-old O’Sullivan stole on the black to restore parity at 1-1.
Both players missed chances in the third, it was O’Sullivan who eventually converted to lead 2-1. He followed up with a century run of 107 to make it 3-1 heading into the mid-session interval.
The first two frames after the break were shared to make it 3-2. Carter then had the chance to draw level but spurned a straightforward red and O’Sullivan pounced with 45 to win on the black.
A run of 85 gave 41-time ranking event winner O’Sullivan the seventh to lead 5-2, but Carter hit back with 107 in the seventh before clinching a crucial last of the session to end one behind at 5-4.
They return to play to a conclusion tomorrow from 2:30pm.