TNT Sports
Recap: Ronnie O'Sullivan beats Neil Robertson at the Masters
By
Published 19/01/2017 at 14:11 GMT
Ronnie O'Sullivan takes on Neil Robertson in the quarter-finals of the Masters in Alexandra Palace, London, and you can follow it live here.
Eurosport
Image credit: TNT Sports
Well, that was a lot of fun - O'Sullivan will play Marco Fu or Mark Allen in the semis. Those two meet tonight, and you can join me for that. Otherwise, thanks for your company, and see you presently.
---
O'Sullivan 6-3 Robertson
Ronnie races round the table, clinches frame and match with a blue, and Robertson will be rueing the opportunity he had to make it 4-2. The truth is, he's played nowhere near well enough to beat the best player of all-time, even if the best player of all-time hasn't played well either.
---
O'Sullivan 5-3 Robertson (23-50)
Robertson misses again so is warned again, which leaves him in a situation: play a bad shot and lose as Ronnie clears up, or try a good shot and lose in feeble fashion. He tries a pot, jaws it, sees the black go in which returns it to its spot, opens the reds, and barring accident, the like of which we've seen plenty this afternoon, this is curtains.
---
O'Sullivan 5-3 Robertson (23-25)
A safety exchange follows and Robertson fouls and misses twice, looking to hit two reds from close to the top cushion - should he do it again, he loses frame and match. Apparently, Steve Davis once did that against Ken Doherty, but Robertson doesn't, so O'Sullivan deploys check side to leave him struggling for a viable safety again. The white is close to the top cushion, in line with the yellow which is in line with the green, so he tries a gentle one, looking to tickle the red and land on the bottom cushion. He misses.
---
O'Sullivan 5-3 Robertson (11-25)
Sometimes it's not your day. Robertson feathers in the blue, goes into the pack, developing the pink - it's beautiful - and goes in-off! But Ronnie then misses the red!
---
O'Sullivan 5-3 Robertson (6-25)
Terrific safety from Ronnie this time, except he plants a red while he's at it. The white is in the jaws of the green pocket, so he tries for the green into the opposite middle, and misses. That brings Neil to the table, but the pink is out of commission and the black is also blicked off.
---
O'Sullivan 5-3 Robertson (5-18)
Nooooo! Awkwardly bridging, Robertson tickles a yellow with his sleeve, misses the pot, and is called for a foul. But he doesn't leave anything, and we're back to safety, Robertson playing a belter that has Ronnie tapping the table before the ball has even settled on the top cushion. Foul and a miss follow, then another - one more and that's the frame.
---
O'Sullivan 5-3 Robertson (1-10)
And Robertson uses the opportunity to roust home a trademark long red - is he the best at that in the history of the game? - but can he accumulate in the traditional style? He's found that difficult today, and so he does again, playing a terrible shot on the blue which forces him to force a red - and he can't! Ronnie is in, strokes home an opener, and then clatters a brown for no reason! He misses!
---
O'Sullivan 5-3 Robertson (0-0)
Ronnie's short with the break-off but Robertson can't take advantage, missing a shot-to-nothing pot before Ronnie does the same.
---
O'Sullivan 5-3 Robertson
Even now, Ronnie's chasing position, but it doesn't matter. Robertson needs three on the spin or he's going home.
---
O'Sullivan 4-3 Robertson (47-31)
And there is it. Another mistake from Robertson, Ronnie plays a lax safety, Robertson misses a red into the green pocket, and Ronnie knocks it home. "Get in!" shouts someone before it's actually "in", and Dennis is not at all happy. Ronnie then pots the blue, misses a red into the yellow pocket, only for it to scuttle over into the green, via the brown, and surely this is going to be 5-3? Surely?
---
O'Sullivan 4-3 Robertson (24-31)
This looked like a match that would be of the highest standard, but it's not - which in a way makes it even more of a thrill. Ronnie errs, then Robertston does too - only to recover with a blue panelled home with a force and conviction that was frankly terrifying. Fantastic stuff. In theory, you'd expect the frame to be sorted from here, but the way things are going, who knows.
---
O'Sullivan 4-3 Robertson (0-6)
Robertson is in first, ramming home a straight, long red with top. It wobbles a little, but eventually succumbs to the master - who then, after a blue, misses a far easier one into the middle!
---
O'Sullivan 4-3 Robertson
Robertson pots the blue, amazingly can't find a snooker, Ronnie rolls in the pink and hits the front. What a curious frame that was, and what a curious match. There's been some lovely shots, some great safety exchanges, but not many frames taken in one visit. The cliche would say that Ronnie won't care, but chances are he's vex.
---
O'Sullivan 3-3 Robertson (63-41)
Ronnie is imprecise with his next safety, but cannons the blue with the white and leaves it close to the bottom cushion. He escapes well enough, but then Ronnie misses a chance to send the white behind the black - Dennis Taylor blames this on the tie he's wearing, rather than the bow-tie he would wear, even in the afternoon. Yes, really. Robertson, though, promptly leaves the sole remaining red over the middle pocket, down it goes, then the black, and Ronnie needs yellow, green and brown to secure the frame. He overshoots the green, so needs some help from the rest, sorts it out, gets the brown, but then carelessly undercuts the blue. 22 behind with 18 remaining, Robertson comes back to the table.
---
O'Sullivan 3-3 Robertson (41-47)
Robertson doesn't need to be asked twice, moving to 41. But the final shot, a black annihilated into the bottom left corner, is beautifully executed but doesn't quite disturb the red on the side cushion, so end of break.
---
O'Sullivan 3-3 Robertson (47-1)
Oh man! Ronnie takes ages over a brown, can't decide what to do, misses it by miles, and then it scoots into the opposite corner. Next, there's a plant on, and as if to assuage his guilt and placate the snooker gods, he hammers it for no reason, misses, and it could well cost him the frame.
---
O'Sullivan 3-3 Robertson (8-1)
"We all like to see the century breaks but sometimes it's nice to see a safety exchange/a few missed reds/etc etc." Yes, I think by now we all know why we watch snooker. Robertson leaves a tempter for Ronnie, and with space behind the black to get back up to baulk, he has a shy - and misses. And then Robertson misses a red, allowing Ronnie a chance at one - but instead, he knocks it out of the jaws of the green pocket. So Robertson takes a different red, but rather than force in a tricky green, stuck to the cushion close to the hole, he tries to play in behind it, misjudging slightly. Ronnie then clatters in a wondrous red, follows it with the pink then another red, and here we go.
---
O'Sullivan 3-3 Robertson
I've said it before, but this should be the frame. The only dicky bit is a green on the top cushion, but you'd expect Ronnie to find a way - he does, gets position on the brown, confirms the frame by sending it down, and there we go.
---
O'Sullivan 2-3 Robertson (23-35)
Robertson runs into trouble along the top cushion and chasing position, cues across a red that rattles the jaws and brings Ronnie to the table!
---
O'Sullivan 2-3 Robertson (23-29)
You what? Ronnie misses an easy green when he looked set to level the match, but might just have been lucky. Robertson has to play a red on the side cushion, and leaves the white near the blue spot; there's nothing on, but safety is much easier. Except Ronnie leaves a long one, into the bottom right, down it goes with all the expertise you'd expect, and this is big trouble for the champion.
---
O'Sullivan 2-3 Robertson (23-0)
Robertson misses a tight red into the middle which lets Ronnie in, and on 7, he goes into the pack off a blue - it spreads nicely, and here we go.
---
It can be the frames you shouldn't win that you do win that can decide these matches, says Hendry; that will really irritate him slightly, says Doherty. Is that possible?
--
O'Sullivan 2-3 Robertson (0-59)
And there it is. Robertson removes everything, the brown and pink via exhibition screws, and Ronnie will be fuming - he could easily be 4-1 ahead.
---
O'Sullivan 2-2 Robertson (16-59)
The table looks scrumptious and Ronnie digs in, but then ends up straight on a black for no reason, over-screws and misses the next red! Robertson is back sharpish and this frame will soon be over.
---
O'Sullivan 2-2 Robertson (0-59)
Robertson is cueing nicely, but then he goes into the cluster off a black, stunned when he ought to have screwed, so the ball doesn't spin away and he calls for the swan-necked spider, which is quite some image. And, trying to pot and with safety in mind, he misses both! So the lead is healthy, but the balls are very nicely spread indeed.
---
O'Sullivan 2-2 Robertson (0-35)
Here we go again, and Robertson rams home an opening red, then a brown a red and a blue. There are a few stray reds, so he sets about tidying those, moving onto the black in the process, and breaks the pack off the next red. But the white ends up on the side cushion, making the next shot trickier - he sinks it nonetheless, and this is now a good chance.
---
So that's the midsession interval - see youse shortly.
---
O'Sullivan 2-2 Robertson
"Is 2-2 fair reflection, JP" asks Dennis Taylor. "Yes, because that's what the score is," he doesn't reply. But that's what the score is.
---
O'Sullivan 2-1 Robertson (6-60)
Eventually O'Sullivan makes a mistake and Robertson dives in, but can't quite get the balls as he wants them, forever chasing position. But a yellow brings him down for a loose red and allows him to stun a black into the middle and free the reds around it. This is going to be a framewinner.
---
O'Sullivan 2-1 Robertson (6-27)
But Robertson can't find position off the black and they're back to prodding around the pack.
O'Sullivan 2-1 Robertson (6-20)
Ronnie leaves a red - a long one, but the kind of one on which Robertson thrives. Somehow, though, he thunders in and misses it by miles - that looked very odd. But Ronnie can only rustle up six points before Robertson is back down to pot another red, follows it with a yellow, and what a shot comes next! Off the side cushion, he rams in the next red with loads of top spin, takes the white into the opposite side cushion, and brings it perfectly into position to pot the black.
---
O'Sullivan 2-1 Robertson (0-10)
Ronnie was cursing himself after leaving the table in the way that he did, but Robertson makes a mistake too, and they're back to exchanging safety, which favours Ronnie - he's been much better in that department so far today.
---
O'Sullivan 2-1 Robertson (0-5)
Robertson gets a good cue ball off the break but leaves a red just below the blue which, if Ronnie pots it, should leave him on the black. He ignores it, takes the pack he plays for far too thick - or should it be thickly - and leaves Roberston a right cut to the bottom-left corner, which he snaps in with customary alacrity. What a pair of players these two are.
---
O'Sullivan 2-1 Robertson (66-37)
Robertson pots the brown but misses the blue; Ronnie does not, and takes the lead - finally.
---
O'Sullivan 1-1 Robertson (61-33)
Robertson takes red, black, yellow, green, and they chase the brown for a while until Robertson leaves it, only for Ronnie to jaw the pot. So off we go again.
---
O'Sullivan 1-1 Robertson (61-20)
Robertson has an angle on the penultimate red, sat on the bottom cushion, to sent it up the table and stick the white behind the black. But he makes a mess of it, leaves the table in disgust, and Ronnie takes a red and yellow before another mistake prompts a safety exchange with two snookers now required.
---
O'Sullivan 1-1 Robertson (57-5)
Mistake from Robertson - forced by Ronnie - clattering allsorts on his way back to baulk and leaving a red to be rolled into the middle. There's still work to do and the black's out of commission, but the pink is available and in it goes, followed by a few more reds and a few more pinks. O'Sullivan is tuned into this one, and he slams a further pink into the middle, pulling the white to the bottom cushion to take one of the remaining difficult reds, then again, and that's Robertson needing snookers. But Ronnie, considering the frame done, misses a pink into the middle, flicks the black, brings the two remaining reds into play, and Robertson is back at the table forthwith.
---
O'Sullivan 1-1 Robertson (6-5)
Ronnie is careless and runs out of position, so takes the white to the top cushion. But he's left a long red in the middle of the table, which Robertson knocks in beautifully, the cue ball finishing on the top cushion, with the green already there for dispatch. So, in it goes, but then a mistake follows off the next red, so he can only flick off the black and back into baulk. The potter of the next red will probably win the frame.
---
O'Sullivan 1-1 Robertson (6-0)
And Robertson makes a pig's arse of his response, again aiming to play off a red onto the bottom cushion but getting nowhere near, and Ronnie is at the table. Pink and black are tied up but, so there's plenty of work to do.
---
O'Sullivan 1-1 Robertson (0-0)
Sketchy break from O'Sullivan but he escapes, so a safety exchange ensues. And the reds relatively well-spread, any mistake will be costly, so O'Sullivan takes his time before taking the white to the top cushion, yellow side. The reds are also down that flank, and it's not at all easy to find a way back to baulk, plus there's no pack to speak of. Robertson works it out, though, playing a containing shot off a red onto the bottom cushion, earning the rich reward of a tap on the table from the greatest. Naturally, though, Ronnie responds well, judging length to perfection to stick the cue ball on the top cushion in line with the yellow.
---
O'Sullivan 1-1 Robertson
This is wonderful stuff from the Rocket - there was plenty wrong with that table, but he fought and crafted a break of 63 and it's all-square.
---
O'Sullivan 0-1 Robertson (46-5)
The black is tied up by two reds and the pink by a further one, which Ronnie removes - only for it to locate further traffic. So back he comes for the blue, then crumps in a delightful mid-range red to the bottom left and now there's an opening. He still needs to use the blue, but it's much easier to get up and down, so up and down is got.
---
O'Sullivan 0-1 Robertson (22-5)
Ronnie rams in a blue to crack the pink, but raps the pink half-ball and ends up on nowt, so takes the white to the top of the table and they exchange safety once more. But Robertson can't get tt right on the cushion, there's a loose red into the bottom right, and down it goes. This is a slightly better chance now, which various reds available to various pockets, and down various of them go - but there are still various blockages.
---
O'Sullivan 0-1 Robertson (0-5)
Robertson leaves Ronnie in a minor pickle, so he rolls into the reds, but nestles among them, meaning Robertson can just play away. The same happens again, but there's a loose red protected by the blue - and still protected by the blue. This time, though, Ronnie can play off the corner of the pack, so does that, as we see Damien Hirst, Ronnie's buddy, before Ronnie catches the blue on his way down to a red, leaving a pot on - and Robertson jaws it! The crowd get excited!
---
O'Sullivan 0-1 Robertson
Robertson is making this look very easy. He extends the run to 67, which leaves Ronnie needing snookers, takes a black with it, then runs out of position and misses the double he has to take on. It matters not - that's the first frame, and short order too.
---
O'Sullivan 0-0 Robertson (4-44)
John Parrott reminds us that Ronnie is the greatest player he's ever seen, and they then move onto Robertson, reminding us that in 2012-13, he made a century of centuries. A century of centuries! That is ridiculous. And he's showing that kind of skill now, zipping around the table before taking a good minute to evaluate a straight blue. He wants to be straight on the next red too, isn't, so is forced to force it and bump into the pack. He's now below the blue, so needs to get in and out of baulk to continue - and he plays it beautifully! This is now a framewinning opportunity.
---
O'Sullivan 0-0 Robertson (4-12)
Correction. They've only changed the cushion cloth, so now you know. Anyhow, Ronnie catches a red on a knuckle when playing safe and that lets Robertson in, a long red perfectly dispatched into the green pocket, and he's quickly among the balls.
---
O'Sullivan 0-0 Robertson (4-0)
Ronnie's break forces Roberston to go off the side cushion into the pack and he's short. This is a new cloth, though off the same roll as the previous one, which was notably lithe.
---
Ronnie to break - yes, we're on first name terms, what of it.
---
And down comes Ronnie. His hair is looking somewhat primped.
---
Here comes Neil Robertson, though conspicuous by its absence is...
Game's gone, imo.
---
Rob Walker is out, and about to get the boys on the baize.
---
Here's a Masters preview piece, mainly about the aforementioned Ronald.
---
"He's given me a few good hidings over the years, so I'll have to be on my game," says Ronnie.
---
Afternoon all, and welcome to another majestic afternoon of Masters snooker. Already it's been a fantastic tournament - of course it has! - and it's about to get better. Neil Robertson is one of the finest potters in the game, a lefty to boot, and the bloke he's playing, Ronald Antonio O'Sullivan, is alright too. There is literally nothing remotely as good happening in the world right now, so dig in.
Related Topics
Advertisement
Advertisement