Ronnie O’Sullivan v Gary Wilson LIVE: Snooker World Grand Prix result and reaction from quarter-final
Ronnie O’Sullivan beats Gary Wilson 5-1 to cruise into the World Grand Prix semi-finals in Leicester
Ronnie O’Sullivan coasted into the semi-finals of the World Grand Prix in Leicester with a 5-1 win over Gary Wilson.
Following a controversial eighth Masters triumph over Ali Carter in the final of the 2024 edition at Alexandra Palace last weekend, O’Sullivan has continued to question his snooker future, admitting he no longer gets enjoyment from the way he is playing.
However, the 48-year-old, set to take a break of a couple of months following the end of the tournament, showed no lack of sharpness as he recovered from losing the opening frame to move 3-1 ahead with a clearance of 129 either side of two half-centuries.
Wilson, the reigning Scottish Open champion, fell further behind after his break finished on 52, allowing O’Sullivan back to the table to secure the snooker needed before going on to clear the colours. O’Sullivan swiftly completed a comfortable win with another break of 58 in the sixth frame.
Amid his progress at the World Grand Prix, ‘The Rocket’ is engaged in an ongoing war of words with Carter, who accused his 48-year-old rival of snotting on the Ally Pally arena floor during the Masters final, with O’Sullivan hitting back in an extraordinary rant, calling his opponent “a f****** nightmare” before urging him to “sort his f****** life out” and “see a counsellor. Relive all the action from the World Grand Prix below:
Ronnie O’Sullivan 3-1 Gary Wilson
A third red and, for a third time, no colour to follow for Wilson but this time he puts O’Sullivan bang under pressure behind the brown. Brilliant escape though, coming off multiple cushions to roll on to a red.
But Wilson finally forces a good scoring chance with some more good safety, before clipping a mid-range red into the left corner to get going.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 3-1 Gary Wilson
Wilson rolls a red in dead-weight and the cueball looks like it’s going to drop in the corner pocket but juuust stops short, hanging over the edge. It means he’s not on a colour though.
He pots another red a couple of shots later and again doesn’t land on a colour but O’Sullivan then gets a fluke, a red flicking into the pocket off another red as he plays a safety.
The break ends after potting the next yellow though, so a 3-2 lead for The Rocket in the early stages of this frame
Ronnie O’Sullivan 3-1 Gary Wilson
Mid-session interval over and we’re back underway, Ronnie O’Sullivan is just two frames away from a semi-final place.
FRAME! Ronnie O’Sullivan 3-1 Gary Wilson
O’Sullivan rattling along and reaches 48 but an attempted cannon goes slightly wrong. No matter, he pulls out a thin cut on the red to the left corner to keep the break going.
Frame ball comes shortly after and he pots the red to right middle to leave Wilson needing snookers. This could be another century for The Rocket but even if not, he’ll go into a 3-1 lead.
It’s not as he misses a red but still a break of 78 and O’SULLIVAN LEADS 3-1 AT THE MID-SESSION INTERVAL!
Ronnie O’Sullivan 2-1 Gary Wilson
A bit of bad luck for Wilson early in frame four. As he cuts a thin pink into the left middle, the cueball cannons into another red and knocks it into the left corner, causing a six-point penalty. His face shows the frustration.
It leaves O’Sullivan plum in the balls and he’ll try to punish Wilson now.
FRAME! Ronnie O’Sullivan 2-1 Gary Wilson
The colours are all on their spots, so it’s a simple end to the total clearance but overall, it’s a break of stunning quality. A run of 136 to retake the lead - sublime.
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN RETAKES THE LEAD BY WINNING FRAME THREE
CENTURY! Ronnie O’Sullivan 1-1 Gary Wilson
Fluent, rapid play now from O’Sullivan. He’s averaging 15 seconds per shot, which is frankly ludicrously fast. He’s sweeping around the table and doesn’t look like missing. He leaves Wilson needing snookers with five reds remaining.
A century break looks almost inevitable here. Ten blacks and that really long yellow for his first 11 reds but then he takes a couple of pinks before reaching 100 with a blue to right middle with one red remaining. Ton up! A great break
Ronnie O’Sullivan 1-1 Gary Wilson
O’Sullivan crunches in a long, straight red to start frame three. He’s now five for five on long pots, which is ominous for Wilson. He started to get his cueball control back towards its almost mythological normal level in that second frame.
He gets a bit of a kick early in the break but pulls out a fantastic long yellow - superb effort to keep the run going. When he reaches 36 he plays a gorgeous cannon into the pack of reds after potting the black, freeing them nicely and setting himself up for a frame-winning opportunity.
FRAME! Ronnie O’Sullivan 1-1 Gary Wilson
No mistakes from O’Sullivan this time as he ruthlessly capitalised on the piece of luck to cruise to victory in frame two. Gets his cue-arm going to race past the snookers-required stage and then pulls out an exhibition pot of a long red down the cushion to the green pocket!
Sadly there are not quite enough points to make a century and the break ends at the yellow but a 68 was exactly what he needed – quickly back on level terms at 1-1.
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN WINS FRAME TWO!
Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-1 Gary Wilson
A stunning three-cushion escape from O’Sullivan when Wilson tucks him in behind the yellow. Lands dead-weight on the target red and doesn’t leave a pot on.
Shortly after, O’Sullivan flukes a red to the left corner - a three-ball plant when trying to play safe! Wilson looks to the heavens in frustration and O’Sullivan offers a hand of apology but it’s given him a great chance to kill off this frame with another break.
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