Both players made a number of big breaks in a high-quality first session of their last-16 clash at the Crucible.

The ‘Rocket’ got off to a flying start, hitting a 123 break in the opening frame and following up with an 84 in the second to storm ahead.

Day quickly got a foot back in the match, replying with 74 and 78 to draw level after the first four frames, but O’Sullivan recomposed himself after the mid-session interval to restore his two-frame lead with breaks of 83 and 51.

The seventh frame saw Day reduce the deficit following a superb 115 on a difficult table before O’Sullivan quickly cleared 92 in the eighth. The pair will resume in the evening session on Sunday night.

An interesting match, this one. O’Sullivan was occasionally brilliant but often wayward, and Ryan Day missed too many easy balls to capitalise. You suspect Day might have taken a 5-3 deficit if offered that score at the start of play this morning, but when he looks back at his opportunities he will rue some big ones that got away.

They will resume at 7pm tonight.

O’Sullivan falls short of a century but it’s another frame on the board. They share a fist bump and leave the arena to applause – they will be back later this evening for the second session of three, with O’Sullivan leading 5-3.

O’Sullivan is cruising in this eighth frame, having been let in by a poor missed red that Day knows he should have put away. The Welshman has had plenty of chances in this match and a better player might actually be ahead of the seven-time champion now. As it is, O’Sullivan has 65 points on the board and is closing in on another two-frame advantage…

Twice a semi-finallist, Stephen Maguire is through the quarters after a slightly disjointed win over Shaun Murphy, in a match which only saw one century break, coming in the final frame.

Next up for Maguire is David Gilbert, who edged world champion Luca Brecel in the opening round before thrashing Robert Milkins in the second round.

Magnificent by Ryan Day, who thinks his way around a nightmare table to put together a frame-winning century with some brilliant shots along the way. He clears the lot.

In the other match this morning, Stephen Maguire wraps up his win over Shaun Murphy with a century break. The Scot is into the quarter-finals.

O’Sullivan begins the seventh frame with a missed long red, and Day takes advantage by potting a mid-length red into the corner pocket. The black is a little tied up, so there’s some work to do either by using the pink and blue to build a score, or by manoeuvring the black free.

O’Sullivan misses a tricky red tucked up against the pink but so there will be no century, but he’s clinched another frame to restore his two-frame advantage.

O’Sullivan runs out of a bit of position after putting 51 points on the scoreboard and misses a tough red to the middle, swishing away his cue in frustration. But Day can’t take advantage, missing a red with a rash attempt, and O’Sullivan is let off the hook. This frame is his for the taking now.