O’Sullivan ousted by Higgins, Vafaei stuns Trump in World Championship thrillers

O’Sullivan was rocked by a remarkable recovery from Higgins, who reach the quarter-finals with a dramatic 13-12 victory.

Higgins trailed 8-3 and 9-4 against O’Sullivan but refused to surrender, moving ahead 10-9 by taking the first three frames on Monday.

The lead swapped hands twice more as the next four frames were shared before a break of 81 from O’Sullivan set up a decider.

Four-time world champion Higgins prevailed to deny O’Sullivan the chance to set a new outright record in the modern era with an eighth world title.

“I came to the party at last! That was brilliant,” Higgins told the BBC.

“A great match, but it’s the second round. I need a rest but it’s only one sleep and then right back into it.”

Higgins’ last eight opponent will be former world champion Neil Robertson, who defeated Chris Wakelin 13-7.

There was more drama in the evening session as Trump lost 13-12 against Vafaei in the last 16.

World number 32 Vafaei is into the quarter-finals for the first time.

“Some of us are different. When you see the line you get hungry or you get tired, it’s up to you,” he said.

“I was enjoying every moment of it. I was born for this kind of situation. If I don’t take this kind of chance I will never become world champion.

“Every day the Crucible trophy is living in my head rent free.”

Trump added: “It hurts but I had my chance and I’ve got nothing to be angry about. I just wasn’t good enough.

“I wanted to win out there but as you get older you learn to be a little bit more chilled.”

In 2022, Vafaei became the first Iranian player to win a ranking title with victory in the Shoot Out, and the following year he figured briefly in the top 16.

He said ahead of his opening match of the tournament that he was finding it difficult to focus against the backdrop of the conflict in his home country, which began in February.

Vafaei will face China’s Wu Yize, who beat four-time champion Mark Selby 13-11.

Wu, 22, is aiming to become the youngest world champion since Stephen Hendry in 1990.