So 45 minutes later than the O'Sullivan-Page match, it's mid-session interval time on the other table.

It's fair to say play has not been quite as speedy, but Mark Allen will be happy enough as he goes in 9-4 ahead, needing just one frame after the break for victory.

Image source, BBC Sport

Take a bow, Jackson Page. Unreal long red with the cue ball glued to baulk cushion.

Gets a nod of appreciation from Ronnie O'Sullivan and rightly so. Chance for Page to get back into this frame but two or three reds are tied up or on cushions.

A lovely red with the rest is not rewarded with position on a colour so O'Sullivan's visit ends on 37.

And he plays an absolutely wicked snooker in behind the yellow, off two cushions and judged to perfection.

Brilliant escape from Page but it's an uphill task - in both frame and match - for the 22-year-old.

Image source, Getty Images

Doesn't look like Jackson Page's fortunes are going to turn in frame six.

Bit of a comical moment where O'Sullivan hits a red so hard in potting it that the cue ball nearly flies off the table - but it stays on.

He's going to, at least, build a decent lead in this frame too, deja vu really.

Steve Davis
Six-time world champion on BBC Two

Ronnie is taking no prisoners - very controlled, considered and accurate.

He's like a terrier today, he's really got his teeth into Jackson Page.

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

We know Ronnie O'Sullivan is going to be ahead going into the second session but how big is that lead going to be?

At the moment, the way it's going, it's hard to see where Jackson Page's first frame is going to come from.

Image source, BBC Sport

One of only six players - including the other five on our list of potential GOATs - to win four or more world titles, Mark Selby has been a regular major winner for more than a decade.

His four Crucible crowns mean he merits a place in this conversation but he has also lifted two UK titles and three Masters trophies.

Often described as one of the greatest match players of all time - alongside Davis and Higgins - does the Jester from Leicester get your vote as the game's best ever player? Hit the thumbs if so.

Ton for O'Sullivanpublished at 16:18 British Summer Time 24 April

16:18 BST 24 April

O'Sullivan 5-0 Page

Of course he can. Chucks in a trademark left-handed shot for good measure after developing the final red.

Rolls a green along the top cushion for 100 exactly and then dispatches the rest for good measure, a 122 clearance for a five-frame lead.

That's career century 1,261. And Crucible century 204. The numbers lose all meaning with this man. Just jaw-dropping.

Meanwhile, Ronnie O'Sullivan could take a part-time job as a cleaner, so adept is he becoming at mopping up today.

The break is past 70, frame over - can he reward the Crucible crowd with the first century of the match?

John Bathgate: I don't see how you can move snooker to a bigger theatre than the Crucible - the crowd wouldn't be able to see the balls!

Paul B: Has Barry Hearn ever sat more than 20 rows back at a snooker match? Everything becomes too small to appreciate the live action. If relying on in-house TV's all the time might as well watch at home. Barry revived snooker in the 70s be sad if he kills it in the 20s.

Good points these, for me. Snooker is the kind of sport designed for more intimate atmosphere, not mammoth stadium arenas... just my twopenneth...

Image source, PA Media

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The players are back out after their half-time oranges.

Sorry, wrong live text. Not that footballers eat oranges any more at half-time I imagine. Wonder what snooker players snack on during the interval?

Anyway, Ronnie O'Sullivan leaves a red over the pocket, only to block with the yellow. So Jackson Page plays an inventive shot, clipping the pack to pot the red via a cannon - but the cue ball follows it in!

That's bad luck for the young Welshman.

Image source, BBC Sport

You think the World Championship final is a marathon nowadays?

Best of 35 frames? When Ray Reardon first won it in 1970, it was first to 37. He beat John Pulman 37-33 in London.

That was the first of six world crowns for 'Dracula', who was one the game's first real personalities and set the records and benchmarks for the likes of Davis, Hendry and O'Sullivan to follow.

Indeed, he later became O'Sullivan's coach and mentor for a lengthy spell, helping 'The Rocket' accumulate a world title haul to eclipse his own. Does Reardon get your GOAT vote? Hit the thumbs if so.

Ken Doherty
1997 world champion on BBC Two

Jackson is getting chances, he's just making too many casual mistakes.

He's very talented - but sometimes it's very hard to show your talent out there.

Image source, BBC Sport

While no one was ever likely to match the dominance of Hendry and Davis in preceding eras, John Higgins made a pretty good fist of it in the late 1990s and first decade of the new century.

Four world titles are a testament to that as well as reaching three Crucible finals well into his 40s but Higgins has been a man for all events, racking up an impressive 31 ranking titles in all, behind only Hendry and O'Sullivan.

He's also almost assured to be the second man in history to achieve 1,000 career century breaks, needing just seven more tons to reach that milestone. Indeed, he could do so during this very tournament.

Is the 'Wizard of Wishaw' your shout as the game's greatest? Give him the thumbs up if so.

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at the Crucible Theatre

Image source, Michael Emons

We've already seen in this tournament former world champions Mark Selby and Mark Williams both go out in the first round and then question themselves whether they will still be playing the sport.

Four-time winner John Higgins is another player that has been facing questions over his future plans. The 48-year-old takes on Jamie Jones in a match that starts this evening and finishes on Thursday.

"I've had a great career here, won it numerous times and I'm just going to give it my all for this season and see what happens," Higgins told BBC Sport. "Then I will evaluate after this tournament.

"People are out working six days a week, eight hours a day on a building site so you would never say it's a tough life physically, but it is mentally draining. You have to put in numerous hours to stay at the top level and sometimes you can't do it.

"I still love the game and walking into a venue like this gets the juices flowing. But it's not all snooker, you have other things happening in your life with your family and this is only a small part of my life. I just want to come here and do myself justice."

On his opponent, Higgins added: "He is a great player, got a fantastic win over Neil [Robertson in qualifying] and will be feeling on top of the world. I'm sure I won't be holding any fears for him."

Steve Davis
Six-time world champion on BBC Two

He's not taking liberties with the game or his opponent, he's playing what we would consider to be the right shot, not risking any shots to keep breaks going.

And when Ronnie O'Sullivan is in that mode... at the worst of times, he's hard to beat but first round of the World Championship, in 'his office', it's a tough ask for Jackson.