World number 16 McGill, a losing semi-finalist
at the venue in Sheffield, England in 2020, got off to a strong
start and won six of the eight frames in the morning session.
He led 10-6 before 45-year-old O'Sullivan, who won his sixth
world title last year, roared back to win five frames in a row
and go 11-10 up and then 12-11.
But McGill's superb break of 136 after he got a safety error
from world number two O'Sullivan, forced a decider and the Scot
kept his cool to beat his English opponent for the first time.
"I played so well this morning and Ronnie just played like
Ronnie tonight and I didn't step up, but I managed to stop the
rot at 11 each," McGill told the BBC.
The 30-year-old will now play the winner of the quarter-final
between Stuart Bingham and Jamie Jones.
O'Sullivan said McGill deserved to win, saying "He was unlucky
to lose in the semi-finals last year and if I had lost to
anybody else I would be a bit sore but the snooker gods did the
right thing today. I have to lick my wounds and come back
again."
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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