Meanwhile, it's a safety battle in the first frame of the afternoon on Table Two.

We've been going 20 minutes and only two reds have been potted.

That long red has got the Rocket up and running and he's now buzzing around the table. He works his way through the remainder of the reds before turning his attention to the colours.

However, a break of 58 is curtailed after he leaves himself an awkward position on the brown which makes it too difficult to cut.

Ronnie O'Sullivan manages to sink a red and a black before a bit of safety play from both players. However, the Rocket nails a long red into the corner of the pocket. That will help him settle him down a bit.

Shaun Murphy
2005 world champion on BBC One

Pang Junxu doesn't look too nervous does he? When he played Ronnie O'Sullivan the last time he took too many frames to settle but when he did settle he had a good crack. He won't be intimidated by playing Ronnie.

Pang Junxu makes a promising start and pots a nice black. However, with the rest he sends an awkward red into the jaw of the pocket and his break of 20 allows Ronnie O'Sullivan to come to the table.

Steve Davis
Six-time world champion on BBC One

There's going to be a lot of eyes on Ronnie O'Sullivan and how we will perform, which he will be aware of. That first-round match was a player who he has played a lot, and knows quite well.

All of a sudden now he has a player who he is expected to wipe the floor with and that's a different proposition. If that starts to go wrong that's another hurdle he has to get over.

Here's what Ronnie O'Sullivan had to say after completing a 10-4 win over former finalist Ali Carter earlier this week.

Ronnie Sullivan given a hearty welcome from the audience at the Crucible as he strides our purposefully.

Pang Junxu breaks first in the opening frame.

A reminder that you can watch both of this afternoon's match via the "Watch and listen" tab at the top of this page.

There are a possible nine frames to be played on the other side of the curtain and Mark Williams needs four of them to reach the quarter-finals.

The three-time world champion shared the first eight frames of his second-round match with Iran's Hossein Vafaei, who took the final frame of the second session to leave this contest finely poised.

This one will be played to a conclusion today, with the winner scheduled to play either John Higgins or Xiao Guodong in the last eight.

Image source, Getty Images

This is the second time Ronnie O'Sullivan and Pang Junxu have met at the Crucible having faced off at the 2023 World Championship.

O'Sullivan rattled off the first five frames against Pang, who was making his tournament debut, before the player from China staged a spirited fightback to reduce the deficit to 6-3.

Pang came within two frames at 9-7 before O'Sullivan closed out the match 10-7. Afterwards O'Sullivan said he was suffering illness but called Pang a "phenomenal player" who was "a joy to watch".

We are moments away from the latest instalment in Ronnie Sullivan's bid to win an eighth World Championship title.

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at the Crucible Theatre

Thrilling stuff at the Crucible as the World Championship last-16 tie between John Higgins and Xiao Guodong is set for a dramatic late-night finish with the Scot needing one more frame to make the quarter-finals.

Only seven of a potential nine frames could be completed in time before the afternoon session was scheduled to begin at 14:30 BST with Higgins leading 12-11 in a first-to-13 match.

Higgins had a glorious chance to wrap up the tie as he led 53-33 in the 23rd frame but missed a black off the spot before Xiao kept his tournament hopes alive.

That means they will have to play to a finish later on Saturday, with them resuming on the first available table after the scheduled evening matches have taken place.

It will be unmissable.

10:00

• Lei Peifan 6-10 Zhao Xintong - resumes on Sunday
• John Higgins 12-11 Xiao Guodong - match to be finished during Saturday's evening session

14:30

• Ronnie O'Sullivan v Pang Junxu
• Mark Williams 9-7 Hossein Vafaei

19:00

• Si Jiahui v Ben Woollaston
• Luca Brecel v Ding Junhui
• To follow: John Higgins 12-11 Xiao Guodong to be played to a conclusion

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC One

Tonight they come to the first available table, but the worst thing is not knowing when you're playing.

In the World Championship, every session you know what time you start. They've got to judge when they come back tonight to put in the preparation for the match, not knowing what time they're actually playing, and that's going to be difficult.

Steve Davis
Six-time world champion on BBC One

Image source, PA Media

It's a weird scenario where you know if you don't win that frame, you've got to come back tonight. It puts a weird added pressure on the situation.

I don't think Xiao knew what was going on, he walked out [after winning the frame] and was getting ready for his next frame, but John knew exactly where he stood because he's been there many times before.

A great clearance under pressure from Xiao Guodong brings him back to 12-11 behind - and that's where the morning session will end.

The two players will come back to finish their match once Saturday's evening session is completed.

Another chance goes begging for John Higgins as he misses a black off the spot, perhaps concentrating on getting nicely on one of the two remaining reds - both of which were tight on the top cushion.

An opportunity of a steal for Xiao Guodong, who trails by 20 points as he heads to the table.

John Higgins is 11 points up in the 23rd frame when he rattles a long red in the jaws of the corner pocket. So, so close to what was pretty much match ball for the Scot.

Xiao Guodong is left a tricky red but he can't sink that either.

The tension continues.

After winning frame 22, John Higgins will get a chance to close out this match without the need to come back this evening.

It was probably just on the cut-off point before they would have been asked to return later, so that preparations could be begin for the afternoon session.

BBC One

You can watch action on both tables throughout the tournament here on the BBC Sport website and app, as well as the BBC iPlayer.

Coverage is also available now on BBC One.