Steve Sutcliffe
BBC Sport reporter at the Crucible Theatre

One hand on the trophy. Well not quite but I couldn't resist having a picture with the unmistakable World Championship trophy a little earlier in the press room.

It was first bought by the great Joe Davis in 1926 for just £19.00

Made from silver and weighing 46 ½ troy ounces, the trophy features a trumpet base, plain step baluster, deco square section handles, two plain knops and is topped by a unique Greek shepherdess finial.

Image source, BBC Sport

Trump goes for a very risky plant and misses it but the cue ball ends up near the cushion by the black spot.

Nothing easy for Ronnie - but he nonchalantly bangs a red in the middle.

Reds split open - huge chance to stretch his advantage to eight frames now.

It was indeed too early to say this frame had echoes of yesterday - as O'Sullivan runs out of position after a couple of reds and blacks and has to play safe.

The 'Rocket' makes a bit of a mess of his subsequent shot, running into the blue on an attempted safety but he's left Trump very little - all the reds are covering each other.

Yousaf: Stephen Hendry won seven world titles and was 30 years old when he won his seventh. The greatest until anyone overtakes him and wins eight. Until then, anyone who grew up in the Hendry Era knows he's the greatest.

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

Ronnie is a better player than he was 23 years ago. To have that longevity and be better than the so-called up and coming players and still dominate the game is phenomenal.

First chance fell to Judd Trump - a tricky long red which was near the corner pocket but almost on the cushion.

It hit the jaws and stayed out - and now the 'Rocket' can get to work.

It's a bit early to say this has echoes of yesterday but...

Steve Sutcliffe
BBC Sport reporter at the Crucible Theatre

There was lots of excitement building outside the Crucible.

Varinder has travelled up to Sheffield from Brixton in London with his family to watch the final.

“I am a big fan of both Judd Trump and Ronnie O'Sullivan and always wanted to see them in a world final," he told me.

"I think Ronnie is going to win this and he will go on to pass Stephen Hendry’s total of seven for sure.”

Image source, BBC Sport

Janaarthanan N: If Judd can find any kind of inspiration overnight this final's far from over. He has previous against Ronnie with comebacks and probably one of only two or three in Ronnie’s career that can dish out the same bullish scoring power to quickly shift momentum.

Andrew C Holdsworth: Judd needs to win at least 6-2 this afternoon to have a chance this evening. Of course if they play like they did yesterday, 6-2 Ronnie is more likely and we wouldn't even see an evening session.

Sam Wheeler: The World Championship is a marathon of the mind, in Clive Everton's famous phrase - and Judd Trump has hit the wall. The Bristolian needs to replenish his glycogen stores, and fast. Ronnie as it happens is a very handy runner, in a non-metaphorical sense.

The players have been introduced into the Crucible arena, huge ovations from both.

Ronnie O'Sullivan is always the people's favourite - but the crowd will surely want Judd Trump to make a match of this.

Trump to break off in the opening frame.

"No great genius has ever existed without some touch of madness," opined the Greek philosopher Aristotle many centuries ago.

The best and worst of Ronnie O'Sullivan was certainly on show on Sunday - particularly during the opening afternoon session.

He walloped in 10 breaks over 50 - including three centuries to equal another Hendry landmark, of 16 tons made during a single World Championship (a milestone O'Sullivan will surely pass today).

The 'Rocket' won a frame on a re-spotted black with a magical 'cocked hat' double - but also found time for a couple of uncomfortable spats with referee Olivier Marteel.

Ken Doherty
1997 world champion on BBC Two

Judd looks a little bit tired, the semi-final has to have some sort of effect on him – this is a marathon of 17 days, all the tension.

If anything he should take inspiration from how Mark Williams came back against him.

The way he played against John Higgins in the final a few years back – he has to play at his superlative best to have a chance.

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

I think the whole tournament the way Ronnie has played I've come to terms with sharing the record. I'm not liking it but I'm getting used to it.

He has been so focused and chilled out at the table. He'll treat it as just another session and won't be thinking about how quickly he might win the match.

The statistics make pretty brutal reading from Sunday's first two sessions.

Ronnie O'Sullivan has scored almost twice as many points as Judd Trump and potted almost twice as many balls.

But it's the middle two numbers that perhaps show why this final has been so one-sided - Trump's pot success of 84% and long pot success of just 55% are way, way down on his usual performance metrics.

Image source, Getty Images

As you would expect from a final between two of the greatest snooker players of all time, there have been some wonderful shots to enthral the Crucible crowd.

Check out the best of the action from Sunday's opening two sessions above and below.

BBC Two

As usual, the entirety of the World Championship final is being screened on BBC Two - coverage is just beginning so grab your remote and join Hazel Irvine and the crew.

Of course, you can always watch online instead - simply click the play icon at the top of the page.

A reminder of the milestone Ronnie O'Sullivan is attempting to equal today...

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Is this the day Ronnie O'Sullivan makes snooker history and finally achieves what has been expected of him for so long - namely equalling Stephen Hendry's modern-era record of seven World Championship titles?

The 'Rocket' looked a man on a mission on Sunday evening as he turned a 5-3 afternoon advantage into a mammoth seven-frame cushion over a shell-shocked Judd Trump.

The 46-year-old requires just six frames to become the oldest World Championship winner in history - and could even do it with a session to spare.

Is Ronnie's coronation inevitable or can Trump produce what would arguably be the greatest turnaround in Crucible history to deny him? Stick with us right here to find out.