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:
Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-3 Zhou Yuelong
Oh no! Zhou leaves himself a tricky cut up into the middle pocket. He leaves it high and that’s a big miss. 64-0 lead but still 75 on the table for O’Sullivan.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-3 Zhou Yuelong
It’s been over 15 minutes since O’Sullivan’s last pot but it’s Zhou who gets a look at a long red to the right corner and slams it in! His long potting has gone up a gear in the past few frames.
Can he finish this frame off now and level it up? One good split of the pack of reds and it will be at his mercy... Lines it up at 45 ahead, pots the black for a lead of 52 and comes off the bottom cushion, into the pack and leaves a pot on! He should do it from here.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-3 Zhou Yuelong
Zhou is looking much more comfortable around the table now. You can see the confidence building. The break reaches 31 off loose reds before he tries to line up a pot on the black that will allow him to crash into the pack.
But he’s too low on the black and doesn’t have the angle, so has to try and pick out a red to the middle. Plays it at pace and it rattles out! So the break ends at 38. Frustrating for the underdog.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-3 Zhou Yuelong
A compelling bout of safety to begin as both men turn down low-percentage long pots. Zhou eventually opts for a more makeable one across the table, diagonally into the left corner and finds the heart of the pocket, screwing back up for the blue.
Great starting pot! He’ll need to go into the pack relatively early but can cherry-pick a few reds first.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-3 Zhou Yuelong
This frame is massive. Massive, it is.
If O’Sullivan can move to 5-3 ahead, you feel he’ll get over the line (6 is the target for victory, remember) but 4-4 would make it anybody’s match.
FRAME! Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-3 Zhou Yuelong
A couple of open reds taken with minimal fuss and with blacks by Zhou. Decides to take the one along the cushion as his penultimate red. AND HE GETS IT! Good pot by the Chinese cueman and he’s starting to cue the ball nicely.
Final red is no issue, up for the blue and that leaves O’Sullivan needing snookers. This is his highest break of the match and after potting the yellow (which was down on the pink spot), he clears the rest of the colours for a run of 89 and suddenly the game is just a single frame!
Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-2 Zhou Yuelong
Zhou’s high break is 41 (to Ronnie’s 125...) but he’s hanging in this match. His current break moves past 30 using the black and only a handful of reds left now. The frame score goes level and Zhou can build a substantial lead before taking on the tricky final red along the bottom cushion.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-2 Zhou Yuelong
OOOF! Gorgeous long red into the right corner from O’Sullivan and screws back up for the blue. But then another mistake! Overruns the cue ball slightly and it’s tight to squeeze through a gap for the next red.
He misses the pot to the near jaw of the pocket. I’m not entirely convinced that pot went. Zhou trails 41-8 but back at the table and a golden opportunity. Has to take it and close the gap to one frame.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-2 Zhou Yuelong
Nice pot by O’Sullivan, cutting in a red to the left corner and going up for the yellow. Deserved a bigger clap than that from the crowd, I thought. Normally a Ronnie sneeze is accompanied by raucous applause in the arena but maybe a tougher crowd today.
He quickly runs out of position though - he leads 35-8 but his level has definitely dipped in the last couple of frames. Hope for Zhou?
Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-2 Zhou Yuelong
Zhou takes what he thinks is a shot-to-nothing on a long red to the left corner but it rattles out and is stuck up for O’Sullivan in the opposite corner.
A couple of reds and blacks before he tries to free some reds with a screw off the pack. They’re still tightly bunched though and after the next black he breaks down on 24, no pot on.
Not a great safety and Zhou can crunch home a long red. He runs out of position trying to split the pack but messes it up. Then misses a tough cut to the right corner from mid range so the score is 24-8 to O’Sullivan who is now back at the table.
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