After two days of play in which neither Ding nor O’Sullivan ceded an inch, the five-time champion set about his business on Sunday night in typically attacking style and pulled clear of the Chinese after an epic struggle.

He secured the first frame of the day courtesy of a break of 87 before a clearance of 73 secured the 18th to hand him a 10-8 lead. Ding hit back with a clearance of 89 to get on the board in the session, but O’Sullivan claimed the next to open up the two-frame cushion again.

A determined Ding tried to force his way back into the match with frames running out and got within one of O’Sullivan again with a break of 81 in the 21st frame. But O’Sullivan wasn’t to be denied and converted two majestic breaks of 117 and 93, both unanswered, to seal his spot in the quarter-finals.

“If Ding had been a bit tighter and taken certain opportunities he could have run away with it,” O’Sullivan said. “In both sessions I had to come back from bad starts. I was over the moon to be 8-8 at the start of this session. Tonight I just tried to focus and play each shot as it comes, and I’m pleased with how I finished the match off.”

Ding’s wait to match the heights of 2016 when he contested the final of the Worlds with Mark Selby continues, but afterwards the three-time UK Championship winner spoke of his determination to improve.

“I’m working hard,” Ding said. “I’ve got my own academy and I’ve got my own tables now. I’m playing more and I’m enjoying practising now. I’m just looking forward to the new season. It is a tough time for everybody and for all snooker players, we should take every chance to play.”

Now O’Sullivan’s match with Williams becomes the most anticipated match-up of the week in Sheffield. After his second round victory over Stuart Bingham, Williams discussed his hope that he would renew acquaintances with O’Sullivan in the next round.

The pair grew up playing together, having both begun their professional careers in 1992, and while O’Sullivan dominates the head-to-head tally between the pair (30-11), they haven’t played each other in almost three years.

“I have been playing Mark Williams since we were on the junior circuit in 1986,” O’Sullivan said. “We were in pro-ams together all the time, then John Higgins came along in 1989. We had some battles as amateurs and then as professionals. We have been in each other’s heads for 34 years.

“Mark has done really well for himself ... he has achieved a lot in the game.

“We’ll both want to play well because we have pride in performance. Even if we were playing a practice match in the club we would still want to beat each other, so at the Crucible it’s going to have an extra edge to it.”

The pair kick off their best-of-25 quarter-final at 3.30pm (UK time) on Monday.