World Championship: Maximum high, and low, for Robertson as ‘Class of 92’ face reunion

The 46-year-old – who won the first of his four Crucible titles 24 years ago, in 1998 – cruised into the last eight on Monday with a 13-7 win over Thailand’s Noppon Saengkham.

He joins six-time winner O’Sullivan, and Williams – with three world titles to his name – in Tuesday’s quarter-finals, the trio between them having won 13 of the last 24 finals in Sheffield.

“I think myself, Mark Williams and Ronnie O’Sullivan are three better players than we ever have been,” said Higgins, looking to win his first world title since 2011, having lost in the final in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

“Mark Williams is playing incredible stuff since he changed to the SightRight method, O’Sullivan is a different animal and is fighting for every frame and I’ve said quite openly that I think I’m playing better than ever.

“To be in the game for 30 years and to be playing better than ever is some achievement.”

It is the fourth time the trio have reached the quarter-finals together, after doing so in 1998 (Higgins beat Ken Doherty 18-12 in the final), 1999 (Williams lost 18-11 to Stephen Hendry in the final) and 2011 (Higgins beat Judd Trump 18-15 in the final).

Only O’Sullivan (20) and Hendry (19) have reached more Crucible quarter-finals than Scotland’s Higgins, who is in the last eight for the 16th time.

And having undergone a strict fitness regime, shedding nearly four stone, Higgins has been in impressive form this season. He has not added to his 31 career ranking titles, but showed amazing consistency to reach the finals of the Northern Ireland Open, English Open, Scottish Open and Tour Championship.

Higgins led 11-5 overnight, and won the opening frame after a respotted black.

Saengkham pulled the next frame back with a 70 break, before going so close to a maximum 147. He potted the first 14 reds and blacks, but missed the final red down the cushion.

A 90 break in the next game confirmed victory for Higgins and a quarter-final date on Tuesday with Jack Lisowski, who edged out Neil Robertson 13-12 last night.

Saengkham said: “He’s a very good player and I’ve learned many things from him. I don’t think I played very well and John did. He controlled everything about the game. I want to become a world champion, so I need to play with world champions like John. I’ll try my best next year and learn from this.”

Stuart Bingham, the 2015 world champion, is also in the quarter-finals after beating Kyren Wilson 13-9.

The 45-year-old from Essex faces Judd Trump, who beat Anthony McGill 13-11 last night, and is happy for others to hog the limelight.

“I’m fine with coming under the radar and just letting it happen,” said Bingham.

“Ronnie is always one of the men to beat, John Higgins is playing well, Judd’s back into form, Neil (Robertson) is man of the season, Mark Williams is playing unbelievable stuff. Every year is hard, whoever you play.

“It’s getting tougher and tougher because the Class of 92 are still there and not easing up,” added the world No 12.

“Steve Davis in the 1980s was all about the tactical percentages, then Stephen Hendry came along and blew everyone away.

“The Class of 92 seems to be a bit of both – they can break-build and play safe. The kids who are coming through now, all they want to do is pot balls.”

Not even a maximum 147 break could save Robertson from an early Crucible exit, suffering a final-frame exit to Lisowki.

The pre-tournament favourite achieved the 12th 147 in Crucible history in the 19th frame of the match but it was not enough to prevent his 13-12 loss to the tournament’s 14th seed.

Robertson took some solace from his maximum, insisting: “It just tops the season off because it’s on everyone’s bucket list to make a 147 at the Crucible and my mum was in the crowd as well.”

Tuesday morning’s first two quarter-finals sees O’Sullivan open up against Stephen Maguire, while Williams tackles Sheffield-based Yan Bingtao.

Crucible 147s: 1983 Cliff Thorburn; 1992 Jimmy White; 1995 Stephen Hendry; 1997 Ronnie O’Sullivan; 2003 Ronnie O’Sullivan; 2005 Mark Williams; 2008 Ronnie O’Sullivan; 2008 Ali Carter; 2009 Stephen Hendry; 2012 Stephen Hendry; 2020 John Higgins; 2022 Neil Robertson