Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker: Ronnie O'Sullivan into final with comfortable win over Judd Trump
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Published 06/03/2024 at 18:34 GMT
Ronnie O'Sullivan got the better of Judd Trump for the fifth time in a row to reach the final of the Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker. The Rocket wasn't at his best in a scrappy affair but made two 50-plus breaks, including a century, to set up a showdown with world champion Luca Brecel. Stream the Riyadh Season World Masters live on Eurosport and discovery+.
‘Brilliance’ from O’Sullivan as Rocket makes yet another century in Saudi Arabia
Ronnie O’Sullivan is into the final of the inaugural Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker after beating Judd Trump 4-1 on Wednesday evening.
‘The Rocket’ didn’t quite reach the heights of his whitewash win over John Higgins in the quarters, but a fifth-straight victory over Trump set up a showdown with world champion Luca Brecel.
“It was weird, it wasn’t great,” O’Sullivan told Eurosport. “Judd was probably the worst I’ve ever seen him. I think I dragged him down to my level, that’s what I seem to have been doing most of this season.
“I played really well last night and I had a bit of expectation coming in here thinking I could put two matches together playing well but that’s put that out the window.”
The first frame was littered with uncharacteristic errors. Trump missed a simple straight red before O’Sullivan returned the favour a few shots later.
Trump then looked certain to move into an early lead but lost the cue ball slightly and couldn’t pot his way out of trouble.
A poor safety when he returned gave The Rocket a gilt-edged chance to pinch a frame he never looked like winning, and he took it with a clearance of 64.
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‘Like shelling peas’ – Ominous signs for Trump as O’Sullivan makes fine clearance in first frame
It was a case of role reversal in the next. O’Sullivan got in first after a sublime red but broke down on 36 when a canon went wrong, and although Trump needed multiple opportunities, he eventually mopped up the colours to get over the line and make it 1-1.
The theme continued in the third frame. Trump dispatched an excellent opening red but missed the subsequent brown and was made to pay as O’Sullivan put the first century on the board to regain his lead.
The fourth was another scrappy affair that featured a raft of misses and flukes. It went all the way to the final pink, but it was O’Sullivan who produced a moment of quality when it mattered, cutting in a brilliant long blue before a routine pink put him within one of victory.
And he got over the winning line with ease. Some exquisite long pots saw him establish a 49-point lead, and although he needed another chance, he finally saw off the challenge of an out-of-sorts Trump.
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Stream the Riyadh Season World Masters live on Eurosport and discovery+
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