O’Sullivan stretches his perfect record against Carter

After winning all 12 of their previous matches at major tournaments, including last year’s Crucible final, O’Sullivan extended that record to 13 with a 13-8 triumph and set up a meeting with Stuart Bingham today.

Carter came from 6-3 behind on Sunday to briefly level at seven frames each, at which point he had O’Sullivan rattled, with the 37-year-old four-time world champion still not at his sharpest following almost a full year out of the sport. But even O’Sullivan in rusty condition eventually proved too potent a potter for Carter, who was floored by a flurry of punishing breaks.

Armed with a 9-7 overnight lead, he edged that out by taking the opening frame with the aid of an audacious long double on the final red. Although Carter responded positively with an 86 break, the hint of a fightback was the spur for O’Sullivan to step up his game.

He was given a helping hand by Chelmsford’s Carter who on each occasion left reds hanging to get O’Sullivan started, but the punishment was decisive as runs of 88 and 106 opened a four-frame gap.

Carter returned from the interval needing to win five frames in a row, and he drove in a splendid long red to start with but made just 27, and soon found himself in a snooker.

He hit the target red, but left it for O’Sullivan who ploughed in 89 to settle the issue and will face Bingham, who edged past Mark Davis 13-10.

Ding Junhui insists he is ready to deliver China’s first Crucible crown after powering through to the quarter-finals.

With four centuries and seven further breaks above 50, Ding left opponent Mark King gasping at his virtuosity.

From 6-2 behind at one stage, Ding roared to a 13-9 victory in the second-round tussle, and next in the firing line of the former Masters and UK champion will be Kent’s Barry Hawkins in a last-eight encounter that begins today.

King said nobody in the game would be able to keep pace with Ding on the form he showed in the middle session of their match, when he won seven of eight frames.

“In the second session he played awesome,” King said. “He was on a different planet and when he’s hitting the ball like that I don’t think anyone can get near him, even Ronnie O’Sullivan.”

The bottom half of the draw was crammed with top-drawer talent initially, but apart from Ding all the big names have perished.

He stands an outstanding chance of reaching his first world championship final, and said: “I’m ready. Last year I didn’t feel good.

“I put too much pressure on myself and I’m learning from every match I play.”