Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

John will be frustrated with that because he has Neil where he wants him at the moment. He's gifted him a chance.

Neil has to make the most of this.

Both players exchange early errors in frame 19.

A poor safety from Neil Robertson leaves a red hanging over the corner pocket for John Higgins.

But a couple of shots later, he returns the favour by missing a red along the bottom cushion and gifting it to the 2010 champion.

John Parrott
1991 world champion on BBC Two

All of a sudden John Higgins has found his scoring boots when it matters most.

This is where Neil has to have inner belief - he hasn't had much table time, he hasn't had a really good chance so you have to have that belief that when that chance comes, you're going to score.

Image source, Getty Images

Hossein Vafaei knocked world number one Judd Trump out of the World Championship on Monday to reach the quarter-finals at the Crucible for the first time in his career.

2022 was a landmark year for Vafaei - his only ranking event victory came during that year at the Shoot Out, while it was also the year in which he became the first player from Iran to appear at the Crucible.

At this year's World Championship, he was the only qualifier to get through the first round, beating Si Jiahui, before a final-frame win over 2019 world champion Trump.

Over on the other table, Hossein Vafaei shows excellent composure to compile a frame-winning 71 to keep Wu Yize more than a frame away from the finishing line.

Steve Sutcliffe
BBC Sport at the Crucible Theatre

John Higgins began his final session 9-7 down against Ronnie O'Sullivan and tonight it has taken Neil Robertson over 42 minutes to pot a ball.

The Australian would have expected this but he showed this afternoon that he is more than capable of responding after winning three successive frames himself.

Robertson will also recall defeating Higgins at the Masters last year from 5-1 down.

Poetry in motion from John Higgins as a classy 77 makes it 9-9.

Neil Robertson briefly came back to the table having not potted a ball for more than 40 minutes but after a couple of pots, he misses a red and concedes.

Not without a long look at the scoreboard though - the Aussie was fined for conceding a frame in his first-round match when there were still enough points to win (a miscalculation on his part) so he just wanted to make triple-sure that snookers were required.

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

What's clear in the part of his career that John is in, he's just enjoying, savouring every minute at the top.

Why wouldn't you when he's still playing like this?

The 'Wizard of Wishaw' is in again in frame 18.

Quickly compiling a half-century break and this match is on the verge of being level again.

John Parrott
1991 world champion on BBC Two

Even in matches - like the first session against Ronnie O'Sullivan - where John has been second best, he hangs around and finds a way to stay in matches.

And then he finds form and comes back - and Neil will know that because he's played him that many times before.

You have to got to scrape him off the table and when you get past John Higgins, you have beaten him - he's never given it to you.

Joe Perry
Former World Championship semi-finalist on BBC Two

I'm sure Neil was expecting a massive barrage from John Higgins tonight - and now he knows he's going to get one.

That was a perfect start from John - two wonderful breaks.

Image source, PA Media

China's Wu Yize, 22, is regarded as one of the brightest young talents in snooker.

He was aged 14 when he became World Under-21 champion in 2018 and clinched his first ranking title, the International Championship, earlier this season.

That put him into the top 16 for the first time and he began the World Championship ranked 10th in the world.

This is Wu's third appearance at the Crucible and this year's tournament is the first at which he has won a match at the Sheffield venue. He lost to Neil Robertson on debut in 2023 and pushed eventual finalist Mark Williams close in the first round last year.

Wu Yize was made to work a bit harder for that frame than he expected.

From 78-0 behind, Hossein Vafaei reduced his deficit to around 50 and got Wu in three or four really tough snookers.

But one three-cushion escape drew gasps of admiration from the Crucible crowd and Wu eventually sinks the final red to move within two frames of a semi-final against Mark Allen.

Image source, PA Media

Robertson, however, misses a long red, leaving a gimme for the Scot.

And that will be that. Higgins back within one.

Talk about fine margins.

John Higgins seems to be well on course to taking the opening frame of the night with a carefully-constructed 63 break.

But then he misjudges a positional shot and the cue ball ends up right behind the blue when it's replaced after being spotted. All spots were taken (the cue ball was on the blue spot so the blue had to be placed right in front of it).

He only concedes four foul points but it gives Neil Robertson a glimmer of hope that this frame is not over.

A 75 break from Wu Yize all but wraps up the opening frame.

Hossein Vafaei comes back to the table needing at least five snookers - trying to either get some table time or disrupt his opponent's flow.

Early chances on both tables - in contrasting manners.

Wu Yize potting his way in... on the other side of the divider, a Neil Robertson safety error gifts John Higgins the first opportunity of the evening in their quarter-final.

Murphy, Allen already through.... Higgins or Robertson will join them. Is it a game for 40(even50)-somethings?

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

This should be a fascinating final session.

Will be interesting to see if either of these two take any risks tonight - because the other sessions have pretty much been risk-free.

If you want to get into the semi-final, who is prepared to go that extra mile to get the result?