Action from Day 2 of the 2017 Betfred World Snooker Championships

Ronnie O'Sullivan won through to the second round of the Snooker World Championship after a stiff test from Crucible debutant Gary Wilson.

Having been 5-1 up in the first session, Wilson won 3 in a row to leave it 5-4 overnight.

 Gary Wilson places the cue ball to break off at the start of the 10th frame

 Referee Brendan Moore asks for an unruly member of the crowd to leave the arena

 Re-spots the white after a foul...

 ...and asks Hawkeye to confirm the placement

 The joy of Ronnie - potting a pink across the table - right handed...

 ...then taking the next red into the bottom pocket using his left hand

Ronnie gets the cue extension out which is always a good shot - until you get blocked by a cameraman.  Happens in every sport - you get used to it as a sports photographer

O'Sullivan made 124, 83 and 74 to go 9-5 ahead, Wilson hitting back with 103 before losing out 10-7 in the end.

2016 World Snooker Championship final - Mark Selby leads Ding Junhui in first session

Snooker's world number one Mark Selby raced ahead of China's Ding Junhui to open up a 6-2 lead in the first session of the World Championship final.

The 2014 winner, has not often been at his best in the tournament so far, but carried on his good form from late last night to go 6-0 ahead with breaks of 120, 91 and 76.

Ding, who had to qualify to even appear in the World Championships, made his first final but managed to win the last two frames to keep in touch.

 Hazel Irvine, introducing the final.

The trophy ready for the winner.

 Referee Paul Collier.

 Ding Junhui walks out.

 Mark Selby walks out.

 Referee Paul Collier places the trophy on the table.

Ronnie O'Sullivan treating the Snooker World Championship as a 'vacation'

Ronnie O'Sullivan has started the media ball rolling by says he is "not really bothered" about the World Championship at the Crucible and will "treat it like a vacation".

Ronnie O'Sullivan, World Snooker Championship, Crucible, Sheffield, 2014

"The most important thing for me is to get my sleep sorted," said O'Sullivan.

No one should ever wonder why he is the character of the sport.

World Championship Snooker - Shaun Murphy holds a 9-8 lead

2005 champion Shaun Murphy holds a slender 9-8 lead over Stuart Bingham after a thrilling first day of the Betfred World Snooker Championship final at the Crucible theatre, Sheffield.

Playing in his maiden World Championship final, Stuart Bingham has been on the comeback trail all day - fighting back from 3-0 and 8-4 down to leave it as evenly balanced as it could be going into the final day.


Some photos from this evening's session:

Anthony McGill beats Mark Selby in the World Snooker Championship

The 'Curse of the Crucible' (whereby a first-time champion is unable to defend their crown the following year) has struck again as defending champion Mark Selby suffered defeat to qualifier Anthony McGill in the second round of the World Championship at Sheffield's Crucible theatre. 

McGill, 24 from Glasgow, led 10-6  going into the third session of their best-of-25 match, meaning he needed just three frames to reach the quarter-finals.  Having won the first, Selby took the second but an 87 break put McGill 12-7 ahead.

In the 22nd frame, Selby threatened a fightback but McGill secured a composed 13-9 win - evidenced by the way he hung back at the end of the frame to allow Mark Selby to leave the arena before he took the plaudits himself as he walked off alone.

Some photos from the evening session: