Rocket Ronnie gets an ideal lift-off

RONNIE O’SULLIVAN seized the initiative in the opening session of his Embassy World Championship semi-final with Stephen Hendry as he galloped into a 6-2 lead in the best-of-33-frame encounter.

O'Sullivan will leapfrog deposed title holder Mark Williams into top slot in the 2004-2005 snooker rankings by merely reaching the final on Sunday where he would face either Graeme Dott or Matthew Stevens.

But the main priority for the 28-year-old from Chigwell will be to capture his second world crown and bury the Crucible Theatre hoodoo that Hendry holds over him and he is well on the way to achieving that objective.