Higgins and Murphy level at 8-8 in Sheffield Snooker Live

John Higgins and Shaun Murphy were level at 8-8 after the second session of their snooker live World Championship semi-final at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. The best-of-33-frames match now goes into Friday night with another eight frames to be played and a place in the final still open.

Crucible Theatre Battle

Higgins drew first blood with a break of 72 after Murphy missed a black, but Murphy answered with an 88 and pulled level at 6-6 by taking two of the next three frames. The pattern stayed tight from there, and neither man was able to open a decisive gap before the session ended all square.

The match has already moved through the sort of swings that leave little margin in a semi-final. Higgins, a four-time world champion, went into the third session on the same number of frames as Murphy, who is chasing a second Crucible crown 21 years after his first in 2005.

Higgins and Murphy Swings

Higgins nudged back in front with a break of 57 after Murphy failed to convert a plant to the right middle, then stretched the lead again with an 86 after a long red. Murphy refused to let that stand for long and won the scrappy 15th frame to restore parity at 8-8.

That sequence leaves the semi-final exactly where it was not long before the interval: balanced, tense, and still undecided across a format that runs to 33 frames. Higgins turns 51 on 18 May, while Murphy arrives at the final stretch with another chance to add to his 2005 title.

Wu Yize Leads Allen

The other semi-final in Sheffield has its own break point, with China's Wu Yize leading Mark Allen 6-2 going into their second-session meeting. For the players still in this half of the draw, Friday at 19:00 BST is the next chance to turn a level match into control.