'Ronnie, ruthless, relentless' – O'Sullivan enjoys huge slice of luck on return to snooker action at Championship League
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ByEurosport
Updated 29/02/2024 at 10:51 GMT
World No. 1 Ronnie O'Sullivan warmed up for his trip to Saudi Arabia next week by completing a 3-2 win over Sam Craigie at the Championship League in Leicester. The seven-time world champion enjoyed a remarkable fluke on a blue in the second frame at the Morningside Arena before producing a stunning pot on the pink. O'Sullivan is bidding to claim the final spot in the tournament winners' group.
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Ronnie O'Sullivan returned to action at the Championship League in Leicester on Wednesday as the seven-time world champion began his Group 7 campaign against Sam Craigie with a 3-2 win.
The world No. 1 quickly put his 6-0 quarter-final loss to Mark Selby in last week's Players Championship behind him by securing a 2-0 lead against German Masters semi-finalist Craigie boosted by two memorable pots.
The UK and Masters champion saw an attempted safety go wrong as a double kiss on the blue ended up with the blue ball dropping down a left middle pocket before he wrapped up the frame with a delightful long pot on the pink.
"Oh no, Ronnie, ruthless, relentless, no guilt whatsoever," said commentator Phil Yates. "Quite rightly so because this game, you can get good and bad luck. When you get the good, you might as well take advantage of it."
Craigie levelled the match at 2-2 before O'Sullivan claimed the decider to make a winning start.
He is due to fly out to Saudi Arabia over the weekend for a lucrative invitational event – the World Masters of Snooker event at Boulevard City in Riyadh – that will see the world's top eight compete on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
O'Sullivan and Craigie are joined by Elliot Slessor, Joe O’Connor, Pang Junxu and Jak Jones and Jordan Brown at the Championship League with the winner of Group 7 on Thursday night qualifying for the final stage.
World No. 40 Jones topped the section with four straight wins – including a 3-0 victory over O'Sullivan boosted by a 129 in the opening frame – with Rocket Ronnie finishing his day on two points alongside O'Connor and Brown. The top four reach the semi-finals on Thursday evening.
Slessor and Pang have a solitary point with Craigie losing all four his matches to sit bottom of the group ahead of the concluding group games on Thursday afternoon.
Stuart Bingham, Chris Wakelin, Mark Selby, Neil Robertson, John Higgins and Kyren Wilson have already booked their place in the winners' group (March 12-13).
The winner of the Championship League also earns a spot in the Champion of Champions later this year.
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