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:
Stephen Hendry discusses Ronnie O’Sullivan’s chances of winning the World Championship
Seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry has been talking on the WST podcast about Ronnie O’Sullivan’s chances of completing the grand slam this season by winning the World Championship in addition to the Masters and UK Championship.
Mark Selby ends chances of an Ali Carter-Ronnie O’Sullivan rematch in Leicester
Ali Carter will not have a grudge match with Ronnie O’Sullivan at the World Grand Prix this week after he exited to Mark Selby.
O’Sullivan and Carter have been embroiled in an ugly war of words following the former’s victory in the Masters final on Sunday, with both players saying the other had issues with their mental health.
They are both playing in Leicester this week and were on course to meet in another final, but Carter lost a final-frame decider to Selby, going down 4-3 in the last 16.
Carter looked to have the momentum going into the decider as he levelled at 3-3 with a break of 103.
But Selby delivered when it mattered, advancing to the quarter-finals in his hometown with a well-made 77.
Mark Selby ends chances of an Ali Carter-Ronnie O’Sullivan rematch in Leicester
Selby beat Carter 4-3 in the last 16.
Ronnie O’Sullivan launches extraordinary, foul-mouthed rant against Ali Carter
Ronnie O’Sullivan launched into a remarkable, expletive-laden rant against Ali Carter as the pair reignited their rivalry following the Masters final.
The Rocket claimed his eighth title on Sunday, battling back from 3-6 down at Alexandra Palace to claim a thrilling 10-7 victory and become the oldest winner in the tournament’s history. However, the pair have now begun a war of words following the final, re-opening old wounds following their notorious bust-up at the 2018 World Championship when both players barged into each other.
Carter, who labelled the Alexandra Palace crowd as “morons” for their behaviour, also accused O’Sullivan of snotting on the floor during the final.
But O’Sullivan has now hit back, telling Carter he needs to “sort his f*****g life out” in an extraordinary rant.
“I’m not going to skirt around it anymore, tip-toeing on eggshells around someone like that. He’s a f*****g nightmare,” the 48-year-old continued. “Playing snooker against someone like that is a nightmare. He’s not a nice person. It’s not a nice vibe he leaves around the table. I’ve said my piece, I don’t give a s***. I’ve said it now, done.
“You know what he’s like, everybody knows what he’s like. He’s got issues. F*****g why has he got issues with me? I’m not having it. I don’t care, grow some balls.
“I don’t give a f***, I don’t give a f*** about any of these snooker players, any of them. The more he brings it on, the more I f***ing punish him every time. He’s just digging a grave for himself. I don’t give a f***. That’s it, I’ve said my piece.”
Ronnie O’Sullivan launches extraordinary, foul-mouthed rant against Ali Carter
The Rocket did not hold back with his comments about Carter following his Masters victory
Ronnie O’Sullivan regrets ‘stupid’ comments after winning Masters
Ronnie O’Sullivan has rowed back on comments suggesting that the chance to win eight titles at each Triple Crown event was a major motivator, insisting that he has “no interest in numbers”.
O’Sullivan’s Masters win on Sunday was his eighth at the event, which is also his tally at the UK Championship after his December victory in York. Wins in the first two Triple Crown events of the season sets up a tilt at the World Championship in the spring to complete a single-season sweep of snooker’s most prestigious tournaments for the first time in the 48-year-old’s career.
O’Sullivan has secured seven world titles to date and suggested at the start of the Masters that the chance to have eight of each prize was driving him.
“It was nice when I had seven, seven, seven, and now I’ve got seven, seven, eight. So it’d be nice to go eight, eight, eight – the three eights,” O’Sullivan said to Eurosport last week. “I suppose that’s the sort of motivational thing to try and get another Masters, try and maybe get another Worlds.”
But after beating Ali Carter in Sunday’s final at Alexandra Palace, O’Sullivan suggested he regretted voicing that desire, claiming that it didn’t matter to him.
“I wish I hadn’t mentioned that stupid eight, eight, eight,” O’Sullivan said after a 10-7 win. “I am not even interested in it, but sometimes you feel you have got to say something. Really I have no interest in numbers.”
Ronnie O’Sullivan regrets ‘stupid’ comments after winning Masters
O’Sullivan’s victory at Alexandra Palace sets up a chance to win all three Triple Crown events in a single season
Ronnie O’Sullivan threatens retirement again after latest World Grand Prix win
Ronnie O’Sullivan has once again questioned his snooker future after squeezing into the quarter-finals of the World Grand Prix in Leicester with a 4-3 win over Zhou Yuelong.
Just four days after his controversial eighth Masters triumph over Ali Carter, O’Sullivan said he was getting no enjoyment from continuing to move through tournaments with comparative ease.
O’Sullivan told ITV4: “I’ve got to really consider whether I can carry on feeling how I’m feeling out there – I just don’t get any enjoyment from the way I’m hitting the ball.
“I feel like it’s just hard work, I haven’t a clue where the balls are going, and a lot of it’s just guesswork.
“The worst thing is you’re winning bloody tournaments as well. If I was getting pumped every round playing like that it would be an easy decision to make.”
Ronnie O’Sullivan threatens retirement again after latest World Grand Prix win
The Masters winner moved into the quarter-finals in Leicester with a narrow win over Zhou Yuelong in Leicester
Ronnie O’Sullivan v Gary Wilson
Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of Ronnie O’Sullivan v Gary Wilson at snooker’s World Grand Prix in Leicester, with a place in the quarter-finals up for grabs.
O’Sullivan will drag his attention away from the ongoing war of words with Ali Carter, who he beat in the Masters final last weekend, to return to the baize against Wilson.
The Rocket has already bemoaned the fact he didn’t pull out of this tournament and threatened to retire after beating Zhou Yuelong in the second rounf yesterday but will at least try to win back-to-back events now he’s here.
Stick with us for full live coverage.
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