China Open recap – Noppon Saengkham stuns Ronnie O'Sullivan after Dave Gilbert thrashes Wu Yize

After seeing off Judd Trump in the last round, Noppon Saengkham moved into the last eight of the China Open with another sensational performance, beating Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-4.

O'Sullivan started superbly, a run of 88 securing a 1-0 lead, and though he won the second, he lost the third on a spotted black, before potting wizardry took the Rocket into a 3-1 advantage at the interval.

When they returned, Saengkham was under pressure to reduce his arrears – had he gone 4-1 down, it would have been hard to see a way back for him.

But instead, he took four frames on the spin thanks to a succession of superb pots and recovery pots, all taken with composure and bottle.

And, though O'Sullivan reduced the arrears from 5-3 to 5-4, Saengkham held out to record one of the best victories of his career and his second in a row against the snooker legend.

Shaun Murphy 5-2 Xiao Guodong

But Shaun leads 83-0 in frame eight, which is to say this match is over...

Shaun Murphy 5-2 Xiao Guodong

But Shaun leads 83-0 in frame eight, which is to say this match is over...

He did Judd earlier in the week and now he does Ronnie, into the last eight with two of the best wins of his career. Next up: Shaun Murphy or Xiao Guodong.

He goes double, misses, and then Ronnie doesn't get close to right corner, instead leaving Noppon mid-ranger to the yellow bag. Here it comes, the pressure an outrage...

Ronnie leaves the white on the side, the pink blocking the router to the yellow but it should be hittable with a swerve ... it is ... but then it's in-off the green! Ronnie has his snookers, and the match now looks like it'll come down the pink! Sure enough, The Rocket clears to it, can't quite get behind it, and Noppon has a chance to pot it, cut-bhack or double!

Another snooker and another escape, then Noppon flukes one back ... and Ronnie gets out of it safely. As well as the black over left corner, green and brown are now protecting the baulk bags.

Ronnie doesn't often play on in these situations, but he makes Noppon escape one snooker, then lands another, white caught between black and left corner, an absolute horror ... and that's one down, two to go. He then pots the final red, tries on the yellow ... and fails. But with the black still over that bag, he's a little more time, perhaps.

...is there! Another fine pot, and when he plays safe off the brown, Ronnie returns to the table needing three snookers.

It's getting tricky out there, a blue needing sent along a diag to the green bag ... and it's there! A red down the side for the match...

I've been really impressed with how composed Noppon's stayed throughout this match, a cut-back red keeping the run going and taking him down the table, then it's green into the pack, who saw that coming, and it works perfectly! It'd now be a surprise were he not to win the match at this visit, and he'll have deserved every bit of it.

Ronnie doesn't quite have the angle to go into the pack off the blue, forces it, spreads reds, and slides off it into left corner. Chance for Noppon to get the match won!

Alright! Noppon flows a delightful starter into corner ... but soon runs out of position so plays safe. So Ronnie responds by blocking off most of the table with the yellow, two attempts to get everything safe fail, and the second leaves a chance. We could well be going the distance.

Shaun Murphy 4-1 Xiao Guodong

A run of 77 seals the frame in roundabout five minutes. Bring on the next!

The speed of this is something else, the frame disappeared almost before it appeared.

Super starter from Ronnie, glanced in off the jaw, and he races about the table potting balls, dander up. We've enjoyed deciders in each of the last two days and no one would be surprised to see another here.

His last season wasn't great but make no mistake, Noppon is a serious player, and he's a frame away from the last eight.

Is Noppon going to take on a cut-back red, with the rest, down the side? Course he is, and rightly so; he's only a few balls away for 5-3, and he strokes home, then makes sure of the frame. That's four on the spin, meaning Ronnie now needs three or he's gone.

Noppon runs out of position ... and this time, opts not to take on a pot, playing safe, then Ronnie catches his response far too thinly ... but gets away with it. This is intensifying.