RONNIE O'SULLlVAN clinched his place in the Embassy World Championship semi finals yesterday and then dedicated his dramatic victory to his friends and family.
O'Sullivan produced a stunning 13-12 victory over John Higgins in one of the finest comebacks in Crucible history.
Lucky to still be in the tournament after attacking an official last Sunday, the 20 year old said "I want to thank all my friends and family for sticking by me. I've got some Al people backing me up and, I am glad I've won it for them.
The world number three claimed he intends to make a personal apology to assistant press officer Mike Ganley for his assault backstage. O'Sullivan was fined a record £20,000 and given a two year ban, suspended for two years.
O'Sullivan refused to admit he was fortunate to be allowed to play on. "What's happened is history. It's going to be a big task for me to win the title because it's tough out there.
When the match resumed in the afternoon, O'Sullivan looked out for the count as he trailed his fellow 20 year old 10-6.
But in a remarkable transformation, the former UK champion stunned his great rival with a burst of four unanswered frames which included breaks of 59, 106 and 44.
Higgins hit back immediately with runs of 51 in frame 21 and 80 in frame 22 to leave him one from the finishing line with three to play.
But O'Sullivan recovered once more to send the match into a deciding frame. Higgins, though, was left kicking himself for not closing out the match at 13-11. He trailed 57-1 but, when O'Sullivan missed a red, he cleared up to the blue.
A poor positional shot from brown to blue subsequently let O'Sullivan back in when Higgins missed the pink and he took full advantage to send the tie into a deciding frame.
O'Sullivan went 35 in front and missed a red to allow Higgins in for a break of 21, but that also came to an end with a missed red that proved decisive as the Londoner wrapped up the final frame 69-21.
"I'm sick," said Higgins. "Now I couldn't care less what happens to Ronnie now."
Peter Ebdon slumped to the floor with a mixture of "sheer exhaustion and relief" after reaching the semi finals for the first time. Ebdon outlasted six times champion Steve Davis 13-10 in a nine and a half hour marathon to clinch his place against O'Sullivan.
After potting the final couple of balls he left the arena and dramatically keeled over, but said later "I just couldn't believe I had got through and was overcome. To beat Jimmy White and Steve two of my biggest idols at the World Championship is a dream come true. I keep pinching myself to believe it is real."
Ebdon led 7-2 this afternoon but Davis rekindled memories of his halcyon days by knocking in two century breaks as he hit back to lead 9-8 and 10-9. Ebdon levelled at 10-10, then won the next three frames to end Davis's hopes of a record seventh world crown.
Earlier, Nigel Bond outshone Dave Harold to reach the semifinals, needing just 74 minutes to turn his 10-6 overnight lead into a 13-7 victory.
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