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 0-1 Gary Wilson
Frame two up and running. Can Wilson double his lead? He’s agonisingly close to an opening red but it rattles both jaws and stays out. O’Sullivan now in with the first chance. He couldn’t quite get going in that first frame, with lots of chances missed.
He’s playing noticeably more quickly, even by his standards now but the break is hard work. He overruns the cueball and is left with a tricky thin cut on the black but makes it. Then forced to go up to baulk to pot the yellow as the only way of maintaining position.
Eventually his luck runs out. He way overcuts a red to the right corner and swing his cue in the air in frustration. He starts chuntering to himself in his chair. HE gets 30 points on the board but he wanted more there
FRAME! Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-1 Gary Wilson
Yellow to pink causing no problems and he leads 60-57 with just the black left! He tries to push the black over the corner with a cannon after potting the pink. WHAT A SHOT! He plays it perfectly and rolls the black right over the hole.
A simple pot to pinch it 67-57 with a lovely clearance. The ideal start for the underdog in this race to five frames.
GARY WILSON WINS THE OPENING FRAME!
Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-0 Gary Wilson
The remaining reds are situated a bit trickily and O’Sullivan again becomes a cropper with a red along the bottom cushion, clipping the cushion before the pocket and it rattling out. He moves to 57 points but Wilson on 23 with three reds left.
A couple of nice shots to clear two reds, a good pink to left middle and then he lands perfectly on the red just above the middle pocket to roll it in. Pots the green to narrow the deficit to 57-40 with the six colours remaining. He’ll need them all to pinch the frame and the black is tied up on the right cushion. A thrilling end to the frame upcoming.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-0 Gary Wilson
Smooth stuff from O’Sullivan but he leaves a pot to the right corner with the rest and misses it. A bit of a scrappy frame so far. O’Sullivan leads 46-16 but it’s another chance for Wilson here with plenty of reds left to win it.
Oh dear! But now Wilson misses a red down the cushion with the rest after only seven more points. Really, really scrappy stuff
Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-0 Gary Wilson
Only 13 made by O’Sullivan before he runs out of position. He leads 26-9 but that lead is immaterial in the grand scheme of the frame if Wilson gets in next.
And he does indeed. Superb safety by the man from the northeast earns him a chance and he gets going with a nice red. But awkward bridging to pot a red brings the break to a premature end as it misses to the right corner. Opportunity wasted really as he only took his score to 16 points and now O’Sullivan is back at the table.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-0 Gary Wilson
Nice long pot by Gary Wilson, cutting a red into the left corner but there’s no colour available, so just the roll-up behind the brown. O’Sullivan’s roll-up into the pack of reds leaves a pot to the right corner but Wilson rattles the jaws with a tough pot with the rest.
A safety battle ensues as both players wait for the next chance. O’Sullivan has been playing incredibly attacking snooker this week, not bothering with much safety but he knuckles down here. He’s a world-class safety player when he’s engaged and he seems switched on today.
Eventually O’Sullivan wins it and has a pot to right middle. Superb pot and he’s in with another scoring chance in this opening frame.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-0 Gary Wilson
Gary Wilson breaks off before Ronnie O’Sullivan immediately pots the opening red to the right corner as it struggles in off both jaws.
Despite his post-match protestations, O’Sullivan played sublimely yesterday. He faces a testing mid-range red early in the break and gets it to the right corner but the cannon to land on the black goes wrong.
He’ll have to just play safe with the break on 13 and comes off a cushion to try and play the green. Misses it a couple of times before a good hit, so the score is 13-8 in the early going.
Ronnie O’Sullivan v Gary Wilson
We’re about to get underway in Leicester. Ronnie O’Sullivan has a 3-1 head-to-head record over Gary Wilson, although Wilson did win 4-3 when they last met at the 2022 Scottish Open.
Wilson went on to win that tournament and retained the title just before Christmas. When he’s confident, he can beat anyone in the world.
Fans queue round the block for tickets to see Ronnie O’Sullivan
Fair to say Ronnie O’Sullivan is always a big draw, whenever he competes!
Saudi Arabia snooker event to feature 20-point golden ball and possible 167 break
Saudi Arabia will host its first televised World Snooker Tour event with a twist: the addition of a 20-point golden ball to provide players with the opportunity to complete a 167 break.
Games will follow existing rules, but there will be a 23rd ball, known as the “Riyadh Season ball”, for those on a maximum break, to enhance the 147 total.
Details over whether the ball will be available on the table throughout the game, or if it will be introduced after a 147 break, are unclear.
Moreover, there was no clarity over whether a penalty would be applied for hitting it too early.
The event will include seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan, who has made headlines with his recent feud with Ali Carter, 2019 winner Judd Trump and current champion Luca Brecel across three days from 4-6 March.
Saudi Arabia snooker event to feature 20-point golden ball and possible 167 break
The twist on the sport’s rules has caused uproar on social media ahead of the March event for Riyadh Season
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