Ronnie
O’Sullivan turns 38 today and, judging by his performance at the UK
Championship in York last night, he will remain a major force for several years
yet.
O’Sullivan
blew Robert Milkins away 6-0 in 69 minutes. Potting cleanly and not so much
controlling as ordering the cue ball around the table, he made a string of
sizeable breaks to book his quarter-final place.
O’Sullivan
now faces Stuart Bingham, who ran him so close in the Champion of Champions
final in Coventry last month.
Neither
man played their best in that match but O’Sullivan exhibited the patience and
discipline which have also been in abundance at the Barbican this week. He seems
calm, relaxed and willing to take the rough with the smooth. It makes him
dangerous.
Neil
Robertson said in Coventry that, having lost to Milkins in the first round at
the Crucible last season, he was in no mood to watch any of the World
Championship but tuned in for O’Sullivan’s matches and learned a great deal as
a result, particularly in terms of how he kills frames off with such ruthless
efficiency.
It
seems to have rubbed off on Robertson, always a fine player but now one with a
tight all round game. When he gets in he invariably makes a pile, as evidenced
by the 54 centuries he has already made this season.
Robertson
eased through 6-1 over Joe Perry last night and this afternoon faces Stephen
Maguire, a tough competitor who could well cause him problems.
Tonight,
Mark Selby, yet to hit top gear but playing well enough, takes on Barry
Hawkins, who beat him in the second round of the World Championship earlier
this year.
Ricky
Walden, who survived an error strewn ending to his match with Ding Junhui,
meets Mark Allen.
Ding’s
great run – 22 matches in major ranking events – had to end some time. He put
up a great fight against Walden but eventually left him a dolly pink for
victory.
Allen
was unaccountably nervous early on against Judd Trump but from 4-2 down turned
it around. Trump will be very disappointed that having so obviously been on top
he failed to convert victory.
2 comments:
I spent yesterday (Wednesday) at York, as I did the previous year. Everyone I spoke to (i.e. the public who pay to watch it live) really enjoyed the day, the only debated issue being where to eat after the Allen v Trump match finished, but get back early enough to get a decent seat for the Ronnie O'Sullivan match (seats are not reserved until Friday).
With just two tables in the arena, I didn't come across anyone who though the tournament should be moved from York. After all Coventry may have its superb Motor Museum, but the city of York is a an attractive location.
Around two thirds of the seats afford a good view of both tables, and IMO the viewing angle is slightly favourable to the Crucible. And I got six matches TO A FINISH compared to four last year.
It seems to me a win-win here is keep the flat 128 structure but play the first two rounds somewhere nearby. Then run from Last 32 to final over 9 days with just two tables at the current venue in York. Don't try to re-invent the wheel, because you don't need to :)
Dave, taking up your thread about
slogging the whole tournament out
in one go. I didn't give it much thought then, but now, realising
that one might be stuck in Newport
for 12 days in a minor rank. tournament it doesn't look ideal at all. PTC final is back to back to China Open, so the move to Bangkok makes some sense.
Also heard that it was extremely close to be contracted to Russia for four years but fell on the last hurdle.
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