Wind is taken out of Swail

Joe Swail's interest in the World Championships at the Crucible looks close to an end.

Joe Swail's interest in the World Championships at the Crucible looks close to an end.

Swail now trails 15-9 to bookies' favourite Ronnie O'Sullivan, who needs only two frames today for a place in the final.

The 16th seed was forced to sit out the first 20 minutes as O'Sullivan rattled off two century breaks, of 108 and119, for an 8-2 advantage.

Twice coming back from six-frame deficits, Swail probably missed too many routine opportunities to pressurise O'Sullivan but did show a glimpse of his `A' game with a 92 clearance before falling 10-6 down.

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That left O'Sullivan with the possibility of winning a place in the final last night. Needing seven frames from the eight available, he opened by taking four of the first five.

But O'Sullivan missed adifficult black lined up for a 140 break in the 18th frame that would have equalled Swail's and the tournament's highest so far.

From 13-7, O'Sullivan hit a 79 break for 14-7 before Swail pulled two back - including a 138 break - in frame 23. But O'Sullivan ended with an 84 to go 15-9 ahead overnight.

John Higgins ended his second session level 8-8 against Wales's Matthew Stevens in what is becoming a gruelling duel.

The match resumes this morning.