UK Snooker Championship LIVE: Ronnie O’Sullivan dramatically beats Zhou Yuelong in tight quarter-final
O’Sullivan edges past Zhou 6-5 for a place in the semi-finals at the York Barbican as Hossein Vafaei beats Zhang Anda 6-4
Ronnie O’Sullivan returned to action at the UK Snooker Championship with a dramatic win to book his place in the semi-finals at the York Barbican. O’Sullivan is bidding for an eighth UK Championship crown this week but for the second round in a row needed a deciding frame to advance, as he fought his way past Zhou Yuelong 6-5.
‘The Rocket’ got off to a flyer as he raced into a 3-0 lead, including a break of 125 in the opening frame, and then led 4-1. But Zhou hit back with four frames on the spin as the wheels came off the O’Sullivan train and he seemed destined for defeat at 5-4 behind.
But, as he has so often done before, he found another gear to level the match at 5-5 and then a ruthless break of 122 in the decider sealed the deal and set up a semi-final clash with Hossein Vafaei, in a rematch of their fiery World Championship clash from earlier this year.
“Technically I was all over the gaff,” said O’Sullivan after his win. “Out of desperation, I started to play alright in the last two frames. Before that, I was going through the motions. I was so frustrated and so disappointed with how I played, that didn’t feel any pressure. I wasn’t nervous, he was playing better and I deserved to lose. “
Relive the action from the UK Championship below:
FRAME! Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-5 Zhou Yuelong
The final red rattles the jaws for Zhou but it matters not. He wins the frame (a low-quality one to be frank) and moves 5-4 ahead.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-4 Zhou Yuelong
Zhou is playing much better than he was earlier but it’s hardly flawless stuff. Yet he’s hauled the great Ronnie O’Sullivan in and should be moving one frame for victory.
A string of decent mid-range pots before leaving himself a long-ish red to the right corner to move to the snookers-required stage. It’s there! Heart of the pocket and the cross-table pink is sunk to the left middle for good measure.
Zhou is about to move 5-4 up here.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-4 Zhou Yuelong
Error for error! O’Sullivan looks totally frazzled. His break has barely begun as he settles over what looks a simple pink, but another poor miss hands Zhou an opportunity to seal the frame.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-4 Zhou Yuelong
In off! Wow! A careless error from Zhou, screwing back off a red and nudging against another, sending the cue ball careering into a centre pocket. That looked like a frame-winning visit, too - to the table hurries Ronnie O’Sullivan.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-4 Zhou Yuelong
Zhou gobbles up the open balls. Now, can he get a good split? It’s not perfect, but it will do, going in off the blue and striking the top red close to full ball. Another red and blue combination follows with both pink and black out of action.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-4 Zhou Yuelong
Magnificent! That’s outstnading from Zhou Yuelong, taking on a speculative long pot but nailing it, firing a red from close to the blue into the heart of the corner pocket. The black follows - there’s a couple more free reds to be picked off and then it’ll be into the pack.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-4 Zhou Yuelong
It’s still tight on the other table, by the way, with Hossein Vafaei a frame back from Zhang Anda. 3-4.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-4 Zhou Yuelong
That’s twice in two days now that Ronnie O’Sullivan has let a sizeable lead slip. He managed to rally in the decider to pip Robert Milkins yesterday but Zhou Yuelong will be sensing a real opportunity.
O’Sullivan gets frame nine started with a solid break, trapping his opponent up beyond baulk. Zhou comes in to the bottom of the bunch off a couple of cushions.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-4 Zhou Yuelong
It’s four frames apiece! Ronnie O’Sullivan shakes his head as Zhou Yuelong continues this fabulous fightback, again pouncing on the seven-time champion’s errors to get back on level terms.
O’Sullivan disappears out of the arena - he needs to mentally reset here, with all of the momentum with the Chinese player.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-3 Zhou Yuelong
Up through the gears goes The Rocket, into the 20s as he launches a counter-clearance. But that’s a bad miss, a simple red to the corner rattling the mandibles and away!
Zhou should polish off the remaining reds and level things up.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments