International Championship snooker 2023 recap - Ronnie O'Sullivan faces Jak Jones as Judd Trump loses Stephen Maguire
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Updated 09/11/2023 at 16:16 GMT
Welcome to Eurosport's live text coverage of the International Championship snooker tournament. Today sees second and third round action in one day with Judd Trump first looking to overcome Stephen Maguire as Ronnie O'Sullivan faces Jak Jones. Stream the International Championship, live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com
Ronnie O'Sullivan of England plays a shot in the second round match against Jackson Page of Wales on day three of 2023 BetVictor English Open at the Brentwood Centre.
Image credit: Getty Images
That's all for now
Right, thanks very much for joining me for an absorbing and entertaining match. We'll be back tomorrow as the round-of-16 gets underway. Join us then!
Around the tables
Dylan Emery 1-6 John Higgins
Mark Selby 6-2 Xiao Guodong
Gary Wilson 5-6 Ding Junhui
Pang Junxu 5-3 Mark Davis
Dominic Dale 3-6 Lyu Haotian
Judd Trump 3-6 Stephen Maguire
Zhou Yuelong 1-6 Daniel Wells
O'Sullivan 6-4 Jones (130-0)
A total clearance, bar rejecting the black, from a total legend to complete a nervy victory. Stunning from O'Sullivan, putting to one side the errors of previous frames. The Rocket is through to face Anthony McGill!
O'Sullivan 5-4 Jones (*110-0)
It certainly will be a century. What other way would a genius like the Rocket wrap up a match like this? All 15 reds,taken with nine blacks, two pinks and four blues
O'Sullivan 5-4 Jones (*80-0)
And indeed O'Sullivan goes past the snookers required stage. Can he finish with a sparkling century? Another lovely pot to open up the cluster of four reds near the pink spot certainly gives him a chance
O'Sullivan 5-4 Jones (*66-0)
In fact, a clever little run-through off one of those reds opens the pack up. You would bank on him taking frame and match, now
O'Sullivan 5-4 Jones (*50-0)
O'Sullivan has looked nowhere near his best for the last hour, but all of a sudden he's in found his touch. There's a lovely recovery pot using the rest on a red that's near the right cushion, perfectly taking position on the black. There's a big shot coming soon to open the pack, but not just yet, as there are two loose reds
O'Sullivan 5-4 Jones (*20-0)
Jones needs to take every half chance he gets if he's going to come back from here, but he misses a long red off the O'Sullivan break. Ronnie is left with a half chance, as the black is tied up, but every point he scores takes him closer to the winning line. From here, he's very dangerous, and a superb shot off the blue gives him angle to take a red and free the black. Magnificent
Around the tables
Dylan Emery 1-6 John Higgins
Mark Selby 5-2 Xiao Guodong
Gary Wilson 5-5 Ding Junhui
Pang Junxu 4-3 Mark Davis
Dominic Dale 3-5 Lyu Haotian
Judd Trump 3-6 Stephen Maguire
Zhou Yuelong 1-6 Daniel Wells
O'Sullivan 5-4 Jones (79-27)
Ronnie lays up a snooker which Jones escapes from, but the yellow goes into a pottable position. Ronnie takes it and adds the green. Job done. He cleans up the rest of the colours and is now one frame from the match
O'Sullivan 4-4 Jones (52-27)
Ronnie is left a straight red to get back underway, and he sinks that in the heart of the pocket. Pink added. The yellow is all he needs to make it snookers required. He's overcooked the cue ball a touch, and misses with the rest. Thankfully for the Rocket, the object ball sticks to the cushion
O'Sullivan 4-4 Jones (45-27)
Jones starts closing down that deficit. The balls are not well placed, and he loses control of the white when potting the green with the rest. He has two options now on the final red; play safe or, the aggressive option, the double, which he misses.
O'Sullivan 4-4 Jones (45-16)
The Rocket tries to move the reds off the pink, and is unfortunate in that the path of one is blocked by another. He has to play safe, but has a more than handy 29 point lead
O'Sullivan 4-4 Jones (*39-16)
There's been error after error in this frame, and I winced at that latest one from Jones. He's left Ronnie at the table with a gimme to start with to the left corner. His task is to, at some point, move some of those reds.
O'Sullivan 4-4 Jones (24-16)
Jones finds a red to the same pocket and then adds the pink, which has to go on the yellow spot. The cue ball is past the blue spot, so his next shot is a plant from distance, which he brilliantly takes. There are six reds left on the table by this point, all of which are clustered together near the black spot. He tries to move them off the blue - but misses the pot! Disaster!
O'Sullivan 4-4 Jones (24-4)
Now, here's a chance for Ronnie. Jones misses a long pot, with O'Sullivan cleaning up to the right pocket. The black is tied up, so things aren't easy, but the pink is free, only to miss it off its spot to the right middle
O'Sullivan 4-4 Jones (11-4)
A foul from Ronnie gives four points to Jones, who then attempts a pot that misses and scatters the red. Easy starter for the Rocket, who finds position off the subsequent yellow. Can he score big from here? We haven't seen too many big breaks from him today. Now would be a good time to change that, but it won't be with this break as the cue ball sticks in the pack off a red and he has to play safe off the yellow
O'Sullivan 4-4 Jones
So, where do we go from here? Ronnie has not been behind at any point in this match, taking the first frame and moving forwards from there, but Jones has never been far away. The Rocket is certainly not at his best, so can the Welshman capitalise? Both have missed pots at the start of this frame
Around the tables
Dylan Emery 1-6 John Higgins
Mark Selby 4-2 Xiao Guodong
Gary Wilson 4-4 Ding Junhui
Pang Junxu 4-2 Mark Davis
Dominic Dale 3-5 Lyu Haotian
Judd Trump 3-5 Stephen Maguire
Zhou Yuelong 1-4 Daniel Wells
O'Sullivan 4-4 Jones (46-80)
Brown taken, as are the blue and pink. We are all square and it's now effectively a best of three match!
O'Sullivan 4-3 Jones (46-65*)
To rub salt into the wound, O'Sullivan leaves the remaining red. Jones takes that, then squeezes the blue home. Frame now at his mercy, he adds the yellow and green to take position on the brown, which is frame ball.
O'Sullivan 4-3 Jones (46-54)
Ronnie doesn't even save that red on the cushion for last, he takes it and goes up for the blue, which he then misses, with the audience gasping as he does so. He arguably should have taken the frame from there
O'Sullivan 4-3 Jones (*38-54)
Ronnie now has the chance to start putting some points on the board, which he does - as is so often the case - pretty quickly. All the remaining reds, bar one, are out in the open. The other is on the right cushion and can still be reached. It won't be long before he reaches parity
O'Sullivan 4-3 Jones (4-54)
Jak compiles a lead of 50 before losing position off the black, with the cue ball sticking in between two reds. A let off for Ronnie, although he's still some way behind in this frame
O'Sullivan 4-3 Jones (4-47*)
And that miss gifts Jones another big opening. There are a few easy reds hanging over pockets which he gleefully cleans up, each accompanied by high-value colours
O'Sullivan 4-3 Jones (4-24)
It looks like the Rocket has nothing on on first glance, but then this is Ronnie O'Sullivan. Red to the left corner taken, green added, and suddenly he's the one looking pretty in this frame - until he misses a red that you would never expect him to!
O'Sullivan 4-3 Jones (0-24)
Jones is looking the better of the two players at the moment, without a doubt. For the seventh time in eight frames, he gets the chance to pot the first ball, taking a lovely long red to the right corner from O'Sullivan's break off. He takes that, two more and three blacks before going into the pack to open things up. How's your luck? He's got a choice of a few, but no gimmes. Eventually, the Welshman decides on a clipped shot to the left middle, but hits the jaw. Break over
Around the tables
Dylan Emery 1-6 John Higgins
Mark Selby 4-1 Xiao Guodong
Gary Wilson 3-4 Ding Junhui
Pang Junxu 4-1 Mark Davis
Dominic Dale 3-4 Lyu Haotian
Judd Trump 2-5 Stephen Maguire
Zhou Yuelong 1-4 Daniel Wells
O'Sullivan 4-3 Jones (0-83)
83 the final break in the end from Jones. He tries to get close to those reds by going around the angles off the blue, but is unable to find a potting angle. Even so, another impressive frame
O'Sullivan 4-2 Jones (0-78*)
Fair play to Jak, he won't let Ronnie get away from him. He will be halving the deficit once this frame is conclude. Can he get a second century of the match? He's well on his way there but will need to open up the two remaining reds, who are sat next to each other near the right cushion
O'Sullivan 4-2 Jones (0-55*)
Well, one thing Jones has spotted is a plant in that cluster, which he plays beautifully, potting the red and opening up the rest. The frame is now his to take.
O'Sullivan 4-2 Jones (0-44*)
A slight problem for Jones as he leaves himself a black along the top cushion, but pots it nicely and recovers control of the cue ball. He will need to go into the pack soon, as there are seven reds clustered together, the bottom of which goes to the left corner. He takes that, with a yellow, then a loose red to the right corner with the brown. But he's now very much running out of balls to pot
O'Sullivan 4-2 Jones (0-21*)
The Rocket attempts a long pot to get the seventh frame underway, but he misses and leaves an easy starter for Jones to the right middle. It's a decent early chance for the Welshman, but he's been in this position before in this match - there are a couple of occasions when he's had the upperhand in the frame and gone on to lose it
So then...
John Higgins is already through with that win over Dylan Emery. Can Ronnie join him? He needs two more frames
Around the tables
Dylan Emery 1-6 John Higgins
Mark Selby 4-1 Xiao Guodong
Gary Wilson 3-3 Ding Junhui
Pang Junxu 3-1 Mark Davis
Dominic Dale 3-4 Lyu Haotian
Judd Trump 2-4 Stephen Maguire
Zhou Yuelong 0-4 Daniel Wells
O'Sullivan 4-2 Jones (71-25)
We've seen Jones come back from this position already in this match, when he got two snookers to make the second frame live again - only to go and lose it! He's doing his best to rescue something from this one, but he eventually puts that last red of the right corner. Ronnie doesn't need another invitation. He pots and adds the green for good measure before missing the yellow
O'Sullivan 3-2 Jones (67-25)
There are four reds left on the table now, and a nice cannon opens up a couple. The way he's able to keep finding the black mean the winning line comes into sight very quickly. A black off the penultimate red leaves Jones needing snookers. He can't pot the final red, but Jak now has work to do
O'Sullivan 3-2 Jones (*43-25)
A pot on the blue puts Ronnie ahead in the frame, with that 24 point lead Jones had disappearing remarkably quickly. He's stroking his way around the table now with a fashion we haven't seen for the last few frames
O'Sullivan 3-2 Jones (*8-25)
It may be a frame winning chance, but it's not a chance Jones will take. He misses a red to the left corner, and there's more bad news as the cue ball stays around the reds. This is his bred and butter now. O'Sullivan strides the table and starts potting.
O'Sullivan 3-2 Jones (1-19*)
In fact, Jones comes to a table where he can build his own break. He reaches 14 before the break comes to it's key shot; going into the pack off the blue. He plays it perfectly. The reds split magnificently. Frame winning chance
O'Sullivan 3-2 Jones (1-0)
Jones needs to keep the momentum going from here, but he gifts O'Sullivan a starting red, and for the first time in this match, Ronnie pots the opening ball of the frame. He then misses a blue off its spot to the green pocket, though, so no damage done.
Around the tables
Dylan Emery 1-5 John Higgins
Mark Selby 3-1 Xiao Guodong
Gary Wilson 3-1 Ding Junhui
Pang Junxu 3-1 Mark Davis
Dominic Dale 2-3 Lyu Haotian
Judd Trump 2-3 Stephen Maguire
Zhou Yuelong 0-4 Daniel Wells
O'Sullivan 3-2 Jones (0-130)
That was an exhibition of potting from Jak Jones. Yes, the positional play wasn't all there, but he just kept finding the pockets. 130 the end total, and he's now just one behind
O'Sullivan 3-1 Jones (0-103*)
So now we see if we can out first century of the match. He finally frees the black up by taking the red that is sat next to it, and that makes scoring even easier. The big problem is the final red, tight on the top cushion. He leaves himself a nice angle on it and subsequently strokes home, only to run out of position on the black. The angle is tight, but he once more finds the middle of the pocket. Hats off!
O'Sullivan 3-1 Jones (0-73*)
Jak takes a pink to reach 66, and now only needs one of the five remaining reds to move to the snookers required stage. The one he chooses is slightly awkward and requires the rest, but it's no problem at all. Taking another pink means Ronnie won't be coming back to the table
O'Sullivan 3-1 Jones (0-46*)
This could barely have been a better start after the interval for Jones. He's composed as he continues to pick off the reds, most of them with a pink due to the black still not being available. He could win the frame in this visit, with the way the rest of the balls are spread
O'Sullivan 3-1 Jones (0-18*)
Jak has potted the opening ball of each frame so far, and that little trend continues here with a really controlled long pot to the right corner. He accompanies that with a black, before having to go back up the table as that is now tied up on its spot
Back underway
Right, after the mid-session interval, we are good to go again. O'Sullivan needs three frames to reach the round-of-16, Jones needs five. They'll play to a conclusion this afternoon, with frame five now underway
ICYMI
The battle for snooker's World Number One spot took another turn yesterday, as Luca Brecel suffered a shock defeat in China
To the interval we go
So, four frames down and time for a 15 minute break. Ronnie is half way to the next round with that 3-1 lead, but there's something bothering him, perhaps the run of the table, as he remains to take a couple of shots on the cue ball, simply sending it up and down. Anyway, he's left now and will be back shortly
Around the tables
Dylan Emery 0-4 John Higgins
Mark Selby 2-1 Xiao Guodong
Gary Wilson 3-1 Ding Junhui
Pang Junxu 2-1 Mark Davis
Dominic Dale 1-3 Lyu Haotian
Judd Trump 1-3 Stephen Maguire
Zhou Yuelong 0-3 Daniel Wells
O'Sullivan 3-1 Jones (69-63)
Blue added by Ronnie, accompanied by a stunning positional shot to get in behind the pink, which was between the D and the blue spot. He pots that, has perfect position on the black and takes the frame. What a steal.
O'Sullivan 2-1 Jones (*51-63)
Jak walks away scratching his head after attempting a pot on the green, only to miss and leave it hanging over the pocket. The frame is now Ronnie's to take, especially after he adds the brown
O'Sullivan 2-1 Jones (44-63)
The big problem for Jones is the green and brown are close to each other, with the former not in a position from where it can be potted. He sinks the yellow, but is then forced to play safe, leaving the green on the baulk cushion
O'Sullivan 2-1 Jones (44-61*)
O'Sullivan comes unstuck when he doesn't put enough power on a pot on the black though, possibly because he's thinking about position on the final red - which he ironically would have got. Jones picks that off and adds the black
O'Sullivan 2-1 Jones (*36-53)
Jones, perhaps still dwelling on the pink he failed to pot, misses a long red to the right corner which brings Ronnie back to the table. This time, there are a few reds out in the open, and he picks them off to close the gap before delicately opening up the two remaining reds on the top cushion.
O'Sullivan 2-1 Jones (11-53)
It's not an inviting table for Ronnie to come to. He pots a red and pink, but with the way the rest of the reds are positioned, he's not going to be able to win it from here. Those three are still on the top cushion, and two are on the right cushion. He moves one of the latter when playing safe.
O'Sullivan 2-1 Jones (4-53)
As with the last frame, the cue ball is never fully under control, meaning the rest comes in handy on more than one occasion. There's one terrific pot on the black, deftly flicked into the right corner, but again the positional play isn't quite there. Once he does regain control of the white, he misses an easy pink. That's a head in hands moment
O'Sullivan 2-1 Jones (4-39*)
Jones won the last frame in one visit, and he may repeat that here. He keeps picking his way around the table, opening up more reds with each pot. There's a minor problem for him in that three or against the top cushion. He may have to move one of them
O'Sullivan 2-1 Jones (4-6*)
Frame four starts with another lengthy safety battle, which includes a foul from Jones, though four points is the only real advantage Ronnie gains from it. Eventually, the Rocket decides he's had enough and spreads the reds with a fierce shot that leaves a pot to the left corner. Jak takes it, adds the blue, and he's underway
Around the tables
Dylan Emery 0-3 John Higgins
Mark Selby 2-0 Xiao Guodong
Gary Wilson 2-1 Ding Junhui
Pang Junxu 2-0 Mark Davis
Dominic Dale 1-2 Lyu Haotian
Judd Trump 1-2 Stephen Maguire
Zhou Yuelong 0-2 Daniel Wells
O'Sullivan 2-1 Jones (0-77)
He adds just one more point from there, but the job is already done. O'Sullivan stays in his chair. Deficit reduced.
O'Sullivan 2-0 Jones (0-76*)
Although Jak is ticking along, he never really has the cue ball exactly where he'd want it. He eventually is forced into a plant to the right corner, and hits it very sweetly. Red and colour needed for the frame, and he duly does just that.
O'Sullivan 2-0 Jones (0-46*)
Jones actually started with four reds and blacks, so the 147 looked on until he ran out of position and had to go up for the blue off his fifth red. Even so, this has been a confidence-boosting break.
O'Sullivan 2-0 Jones (0-24*)
For the third frame running, though, it's Jones who pots the first ball, a red along the top cushion. With so many safety shots having been played, the reds are fairly well spread, so this is a decent chance for him to put together a sizable break.
O'Sullivan 2-0 Jones (0-0)
A rare safety battle to get frame three underway, albeit a brief one which is ended by Jones missing a thumping red to the right corner. Ronnie isn't left anything easy though. The one possible pot to the same pocket is hampered by the blue, so he plays safe, leaving the cue ball very close to the top cushion
Around the tables
Dylan Emery 0-2 John Higgins
Mark Selby 1-0 Xiao Guodong
Gary Wilson 2-0 Ding Junhui
Pang Junxu 1-0 Mark Davis
Dominic Dale 1-0 Lyu Haotian
Judd Trump 0-2 Stephen Maguire
Zhou Yuelong 0-2 Daniel Wells
O'Sullivan 2-0 Jones (95-36)
The Rocket cleans up the remaining colours up to the black, which he doesn't even attempt, and he's now got a two frame lead in double quick time. Jones has a mountain to climb
O'Sullivan 1-0 Jones (*75-36)
And then the Welshman undoes all that good work with a wild attempt at a red to the left corner. It comes back up the table and is an easy pot to the middle for Ronnie. Frame over now, surely.
O'Sullivan 1-0 Jones (68-36)
More trouble for Ronnie, as Jones lays up a similar snooker, and again the Rocket can't escape. Those two fouls going Jak's way mean the frame is now live again!
O'Sullivan 1-0 Jones (68-24)
Jones keeps going though, and he takes the penultimate red with a black, before playing a terrific safety behind the black, which is now on its spot. The red is at the baulk end, just outside of the D. It's a tough hit, and Ronnie brushes the yellow. That's one snooker back
O'Sullivan 1-0 Jones (68-20)
And the slender difference between the lead and the points left on the table gives Jones a real predicament. He pots one red, but knows he has to take a high value colour with it. He chooses the pink, and is left with a tough red along the top cushion. He takes it, but leaves an even harder black to the green pocket. It catches the jaws, but doesn't go in, and he now needs snookers
O'Sullivan 1-0 Jones (68-12)
Ronnie is living up to his tag in this frame. He's playing at a great pace and the points are flowing. There's a slight error on 60 where he overscrews minimally, but recovers to pot a red into the right middle. He never quite regains position though, missing a pot to the right corner. 56 the lead with 59 left on
O'Sullivan 1-0 Jones (*44-12)
The problem for Jak is that you simply can't afford to gift O'Sullivan these kind of chances. He quickly finds position around the black, meaning the points come pretty quickly. The key shot is off the blue, when he needs to open up the pack below the pink spot, and he does so perfectly. It's a frame winning chance now
O'Sullivan 1-0 Jones (0-12)
A strong start to the frame again for Jones, who clips a delicate red into the left middle and lands handily on the blue. Again, though, the break comes crumbling down prematurely, making 12 before missing a pot to the green pocket, and leaving the Rocket with an easy starter
Around the tables
Dylan Emery 0-0 John Higgins
Mark Selby 0-0 Xiao Guodong
Gary Wilson 1-0 Ding Junhui
Pang Junxu 1-0 Mark Davis
Dominic Dale 1-0 Lyu Haotian
Judd Trump 0-1 Stephen Maguire
Zhou Yuelong 0-1 Daniel Wells
O'Sullivan 1-0 Jones (81-9)
49 the end break from Ronnie, as he finishes on 81 for the frame when he can't quite squeeze home a double on the yellow. More than enough to take the lead though.
O'Sullivan 0-0 Jones (*68-9)
The Rocket opens up that cluster of reds by the pink by potting one of them, and bringing the rest into play. He races past the snookers required stage before fluking a red that puts the frame well and truly to bed.
O'Sullivan 0-0 Jones (*45-9)
The O'Sullivan safety sees him put the yellow near the left middle, while the cue ball goes to the right hand side of the table. He's left Jones a half chance, which he needs to be taking if he's going to win this match. He can't though, and - even worse - leaves a starter for Ronnie, who's back at the table and should win the frame from here
O'Sullivan 0-0 Jones (32-9)
O'Sullivan is still finding his flow, and he runs out of position after reaching 32. WIth four reds tied up just below the pink and a further three not in prime position, he plays safe off the yellow
O'Sullivan 0-0 Jones (*17-9)
The Rocket is underway now, too, sinking a red that was hanging close to the left corner. The cue ball heads up towards the top end of the table, and he requires the rest to pot the yellow, but that gets him position at the right end of the table too. This is a good chance for him.
O'Sullivan 0-0 Jones (0-9)
An early nerve-settler for Jones, who takes advantage of Ronnie missing a long red off the break off by sinking a pot of his own. He adds the blue off its spot, before confidently taking another red and the yellow. The cue ball gets stuck in the pack off the side cushion though. End of break.
Here we go!
Right, the boys are on the baize and it's time to get going. Jones will break things off. We're underway
Our focus
We're keeping an eye on Ronnie O'Sullivan's clash with Jak Jones. THey've only met once before, a 4-2 win over the Rocket in a minor tour event way back in 2013
Format
These are single-session matches, with a race to six frames to determine the winner. It stays that way until the semi-finals, when best of 17 frames is used
O'Sullivan wants trophy haul to be out of recah
Ronnie O'Sullivan will be in action shortly, and he's been talking about the legacy he wants to leave on the game. "Hopefully, I will be dead by the time they catch my targets," he said
Today's action so far
Defending champion Ryan Day has booked his place in the last-16 today by thrashing Ross Muir 6-1. There have also been wins earlier on for Ali Carter, who's knocked out Stuart Bingham, and a couple of shocks as well, with Mark Allen and Kyren Wilson beaten by Thepchaiya Un-Nooh and Jordan Brown respectively.
Good morning!
Hello and welcome to our lunchtime coverage from the International Championship in Tianjin. We're close to completing the last-32 stage of the tournament, with some big names still to play their second round match, including John Higgins, Mark Selby, Ronnie O'Sullivan and top seed Judd Trump.
What happened yesterday?
The four-man battle for the world No. 1 spot became a three-way fight on Monday after Luca Brecel suffered a shock 6-3 defeat to Mark Davis.
The defeat means Brecel cannot topple Ronnie O'Sullivan from top spot when the International Championship trophy and £175,000 first prize is claimed on Sunday, but Judd Trump and Mark Allen remain in the hunt for the coveted spot.
A 6-0 whitewash of Michael White enabled Trump to record a 22nd straight win in ranking events and move above Brecel into second spot in the latest provisional rankings by 1,500 points, but he remains 10,000 behind Ronnie O'Sullivan after the seven-time world champion hit three centuries in a 6-3 win over Mark Joyce from 2-0 adrift.
World No. 4 Mark Allen is 85,000 points behind O'Sullivan, but can still claim the world No. 1 spot for the first time in his career if he repeats his 2018 International Championship title triumph on Sunday.
The Northern Irishman began his campaign by winning the final five frames in a 6-3 victory over Oliver Lines.
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