O'Sullivan on the brink

O'Sullivan: In total command

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Ronnie O'Sullivan edged inexorably towards his third World Championship crown after taking five out of the eight frames on offer in the third session to open up a 16-8 lead over Ali Carter.

The Rocket was again some way from his best on Monday afternoon, but was not punished by Carter despite several lapses.

O'Sullivan now just needs two further frames in the evening session to wrap up victory and add to his 2001 and 2004 titles at The Crucible.

Carter was amongst the balls first during the opening frame of the session but broke down on 40. He was handed another chance by his opponent, but having missed a regulation red to the middle could only watch on as O'Sullivan put together a break of 52 to pinch the frame.

O'Sullivan took the next also after breaks of 45 and 29 to move 13-5 ahead and leave Carter a dejected figure in his seat.

However, 'The Captain' responded with a break of 46 to take charge of the 19th frame and then sunk a long red to seal it after O'Sullivan missed a brown when on 25.

But the respite proved short-lived for Carter as he missed a mid-length red to let his opponent back in and O'Sullivan rattled in a break of 71 to ensure he headed to the interval in total command at 14-6.

Presented with a good opportunity after an O'Sullivan miss, Carter finally found some fluency of his own to chalk up a break of 84 to reduce the arrears, but he could not maintain the momentum despite having chances to take the next, O'Sullivan potting brown, blue and pink to steal a scrappy frame.

Although dominating, O'Sullivan showed he was still several levels below his best form as he missed an easy pink in the penultimate frame of the session which allowed Carter to put together a run of 71 to pull back to 15-8.

But that was as good as it got for the debutant finalist as his rival made a break of 44 to ensure he took the last frame, Carter conceding having fouled on the yellow, and victory for O'Sullivan now looks a formality.