We are back under way on table two.

Judd Trump would love to get this wrapped up sharpish.

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at the Crucible Theatre

Image source, Getty Images

Ronnie O'Sullivan said he was "worried" about returning to snooker, fearing he would "implode" and "have a meltdown" in his first competitive match since January.

O'Sullivan, 49, beat Ali Carter 10-4 on Wednesday in their first-round tie.

"I lost the buzz for playing because I wasn't able to execute shots," said O'Sullivan. "I was bailing out of shots. I was having to play a different game that I didn't enjoy and it didn't feel like I could express myself, so it got really tough."

Asked if there were times in the past week where he thought he had made a mistake about returning to snooker, O'Sullivan said: "Yeah, totally.

"I thought 'what am I doing coming here, exposing myself, [potentially] imploding out there, having a meltdown?' All that went through my head. I told [sports psychiatrist] Steve Peters that and he said 'I'm coming - I will get you through the first match'.

"I was quite a bit scared coming and playing. It's a daunting venue to play at anyway but it's about getting on the bike again and playing and I'm really proud that I've done that."

Now Mark Selby knocks in a long red - his first pot for more than 50 minutes...

And he's got a chance to pinch this frame to send the two players in level at the interval.

A long tactical battle at the start of frame four, but Ben Woollaston opens the frame up with a wonderful pot on a red.

The pot itself was not difficult, but he splits a small pack of reds occupying the black spot and is able to build a lead from there.

On 42, however, he misses a straight red with the rest and gives Mark Selby a route back to the table with a 30-point deficit.

Yes, it's an extender!

Image source, Reuters

A brilliant black, potted from near the bottom cushion into the middle pocket, by Judd Trump is followed by a simple yellow - missed!

It appears Zhou will see it out, but another miss allows Trump back and he sets about trying to set up two five-point snookers, which he needs to win this frame and match.

It looks like he might get them - after getting one, he sets up the second in particular fashion; the cue ball coming off three cushions then nestling brilliantly behind the black.

Zhou looks absolutely stumped, grinning in disbelief at the situation. He has to get the long extensions out on both the cue and spider... and he makes contact with the blue!

Zhou then sees out the frame and forces this match to the mid-session interval. Great spirit and gumption by the world number 32 - plus no little skill.

It looks as though this frame is only heading one way, as Zhou gives up eight points to Trump with two separate fouls before the number two seed looks to start building a match-winning break.

But! Trump allows a couple of sloppy errors to slip into his play, and the man from Chengdu has half a chance.

Zhou knocks in 64, but gets an unfortunate ricochet off the green just as he was on the verge of winning the frame.

That allows Trump back to the table, and on we go.

Ben Wollaston delivers another excellent frame-winning contribution in one visit to take frame three and go in front against four-time Crucible champion Mark Selby.

Wollaston has to deal in primarily blues and pinks during a break of 76.

If you want an indicator as to how one-sided this session has been, Judd Trump has scored 341 points in the opening three frames.

Zhou Yuelong has scored six - and five of those were when Judd Trump was penalised for clipping the blue while showboating at the end of frame 12.

This is Zhou Yuelong's first Crucible appearance for six years. Unless he can produce something remarkable, it will be his last in 2025.

Trump is playing for the match.

No century in this frame, though - BOOOOOOOO....

But there is a great break of 84 from Ben Woollaston to even things up with fellow Leicester potter Mark Selby.

The world number 44 has a foothold in the match.

So all four completed frames so far in this evening session have been won with century breaks - three by Judd Trump, one by Mark Selby.

That takes the number of centuries so far at the Crucible to 51. FIFTY-ONE. And we aren't even through round one!

The previous record for 100-plus breaks in the first round - 44, set in 2022 - has long since been obliterated.

Zhou gets a rare go at the table when Trump misses a long red - but cannot find the pocket himself.

Trump takes full advantage this time, with another huge break to move one frame from round two.

The world number one shows exactly why he has that accolade with yet another century break, eventually totalling 114.

Three frames, three centuries - Judd Trump is on a roll.

The referee of Trump v Zhou is indeed sporting a very handsome pair of black rimmed glasses.

Zhou Yuelong exited the arena at the end of the 11th frame, perhaps just to escape the oppressive atmosphere which comes in the Crucible when you have to sit and watch your opponent take the game away from you.

Zhou, the world number 32, is no slouch - he won the final frame last night with a break of 95 - but he cannot do much against Trump in this form.

Image source, PA Media

Make that 96...

Judd Trump clearly fancies an early night as he rattles off a break of 114 to move two frames from victory.

With that latest break of 113, Judd Trump has scored 95 centuries so far in the 2024-25 snooker season and will be aiming for three figures at the Crucible this year.

He obviously can't make 100 in this match - given he began needing four frames to progress - but a ton or two to help him towards his goal would not go amiss.

Given there's a £100,000 bonus, external for reaching that landmark, he'll be doubly keen...

On the other side of the curtain, four-time champion Mark Selby gets his World Championship campaign under way with a century break of his own.

Ben Woollaston misjudges a safety shot off two cushions and that brings Selby to the table - he makes a contribution of exactly 100 to take the opener.

Despite Zhou Yuelong starting this session with a magnificent long pot, it is Judd Trump who again gets to the table and starts scoring heavily.

He's slightly hampered by the black being placed on the yellow spot due to an inconvenient red, leaving him having to break build primarily using the blue with occasional pinks.

But the world number one makes a tough break look easy - he reaches 113 despite only potting the black twice.

Steve Sutcliffe
BBC Sport

Mark Selby, speaking to BBC Sport on the eve of the World Championship: "Overall my season has been good, winning two ranking events and the minor ranking event like the Championship League. I lost to Higgins at the Tour Championship but he won it rather than me losing it. I played some good stuff.

"I am going into the tournament quietly confident and in a good frame of mind which is all I can ask for.

"I feel like I have got my confidence back which has been lacking over the last few seasons hence why I’ve not really put in too many good performances but winning a few tournaments this year gives you that belief back.

"I think with the longer format it still gives you the chance to get involved in the game even if you have a few bad frames. The first round is always the toughest one because of the pressure especially with the way the rankings are now. If you don’t win, you get the money but it doesn’t go on your ranking.

"It is a big game for the seeds. Once you get the first game out of the way you feel part of the tournament then and the format gets longer which is better for the top players."