Welsh Open 2022 Snooker Live - Ronnie O'Sullivan in action after Judd Trump's win over Jimmy Robertson

ByEurosport

Updated 03/03/2022 at 22:34 GMT

Welcome back to Eurosport's live coverage of the 2022 Welsh Open and it's Day 4 of the prestigious snooker event. Entertainment's Ronnie O'Sullivan will no doubt get the pulses racing when he takes on Ding Junhui from 1pm UK time with Shaun Murphy also in early-afternoon action. Judd Trump and Neil Robertson will both be taking to tables this evening.

'It was quite therapeutic' - O'Sullivan on watch antics against Kleckers

Righto

That's us done for the today. Join us again tomorrow at 12.45pm GMT for the last eight!

World Championship

O'Sullivan wraps up win over Day to reach quarter-finals

00:02:25

an hour ago

Around the tables

Ali Carter 4-2 Scott Donaldson

Matthew Stevens 2-4 Zhang Anda

Hossein Vafaei 4-3 Ryan Day

Joe Perry 2-1 Kyren Wilson

Jack Lisowski 3-0 Michael White

Neil Robertson 2-0 Ben Woolaston

Ricky Walden beats Ronnie O'Sullivan 4-3!

A run of 83 seals the match of the tournamwent so far, and what a performance that is from Ricky! He meets Perry or Wilson K next.

O'Sullivan 3-3 Walden (0-75)

Ricky's really motoring here, whacking a pink that brings him back too far. But he's on a red, he sinks it with the rest ... but runs out of position when he still needs one more red! He has a look, gets down ... and is he going to send a pink to the green pocket! He's done it again! That is a glooooorious pot, and this is over!

O'Sullivan 3-3 Walden (0-38)

The decider begins with a high-class safety exchange ... won by Ricky! He gets himself in, but it's not an easy table, and he soon ends up on the side cushion ... but steers a blue into the pocket opposite nonetheless. He's cueing nicely again now, and you can see he wants to finish this at this visit. Quickly, he creates that opportunity for himself.

Around the tables

Ali Carter 4-2 Scott Donaldson

Matthew Stevens 2-4 Zhang Anda

Hossein Vafaei 4-3 Ryan Day

Joe Perry 1-1 Kyren Wilson

Jack Lisowski 2-0 Michael White

Neil Robertson 1-0 Ben Woolaston

O'Sullivan 3-3 Walden

Ronnie clears with 85, and we've got the decider we and the match deserve.

O'Sullivan 2-3 Walden (65-1)

It matters not. Another good pot sees Ronnie back at the table, and he's by far the better player now. This is the best he's played this week or last.

O'Sullivan 2-3 Walden (38-1)

Eeesh, Ricky not only misses a red but a double-kiss leaves one for Ronnie - he's not in the zone anymore, and a really good brown from Ronnie sees him in decent shape. But a red-black later, with the remaining reds clustered, he can only ruffle a few free and go back to baulk.

O'Sullivan 2-3 Walden (25-1)

Have a look! Ronnie drills home a starter, diagonally to left corner, and quickly eliminates a succession of reds with blacks ... then misses one you think he won't, trying to pot it thick to avoid kissing a stray red. Ricky can only capitalise to the tune of a red and a safety.

Around the tables

Ali Carter 4-2 Scott Donaldson

Matthew Stevens 2-4 Zhang Anda

Hossein Vafaei 4-3 Ryan Day

Joe Perry 0-1 Kyren Wilson

Jack Lisowski 1-0 Michael White

Neil Robertson 0-0 Ben Woolaston

O'Sullivan 2-3 Walden

On 88, Ronnie misses the yellow, so no ton But that was everything that makes him special - the long red, the deftness, the insight. This is a great match.

O'Sullivan 1-3 Walden (65-3)

This is just a brilliant break from Ronnie. "Not like snooker," says Angles. "It's a magic show."

O'Sullivan 1-3 Walden (29-3)

Yeah, as if Ronnie O'Sullivan is having someone smash balls in on his table without him doing anything about it. He monsters in a brilliant red, diagonally to left corner, and with one little cannon off the black onto a red, opens everything. It's gentle, subtle genius, this. No one has ever done this particular aspect of break-building the way he does it.

O'Sullivan 1-3 Walden (4-3)

Ricky ems and ehs about a long one to right corner, then just goes all out, spanking it against the leather. But the blue is already on the baulk cushion, so there's no colour there for him, and he plays safe. Goodness me, Ricky is on absolute flames! Next visit, he takes one from near left cushion into right corner ... but turning down a brown and trying to nuzzle in behind the blue, he doesn't get tight to it. Lesson learned. Visit after next, faced with a red to middle that's harder than the brown he refused, he takes it on, sees it away ... and trying to tuck in behind the brown, trying to correct his previous error, he doesn't hit it hard enough and has to escape his own snooker! He does, nicely.

Around the tables

Ali Carter 4-2 Scott Donaldson

Matthew Stevens 2-4 Zhang Anda

Hossein Vafaei 4-3 Ryan Day

Joe Perry 0-0 Kyren Wilson

Jack Lisowski 0-0 Michael White

O'Sullivan 1-3 Walden

Ricky thought he might have to give up the game a while ago, struggling with his back, and couldn't sleep not knowing what he'd do if he couldn't play snooker. So this is lovely to see, and this has been a lovely total clearance of 136.

O'Sullivan 1-2 Walden (0-74)

Ricky's hit a seam here, ad he's down to play the next red almost before the ref's replaced the colour, and this'll be 3-1!

O'Sullivan 1-2 Walden (0-58)

"Good pace, good pace - that's brilliant. Brilliant!" says Angles when Ricky judges his split beautifully. "Goodness, he's playing well." "You can be the best ever" responds Dave Hendon, "and Ronnie O'Sullivan is. But you've got to be at the table, and he isn't."

O'Sullivan 1-2 Walden (0-15)

Ricky will have known that he couldn't go 2-1 down, and also that he's feeling good, so taking on that point made sense. And it's given him the confidence to get right back after it again - he's playing like he thinks he's going to win.

Around the tables

Ali Carter 4-2 Scott Donaldson

Matthew Stevens 2-4 Zhang Anda

Hossein Vafaei 3-3 Ryan Day

Joe Perry 0-0 Kyren Wilson

Jack Lisowski 0-0 Michael White

O'Sullivan 1-2 Walden

That's a terrific clearance from Ricky, and that red was as good a pot as you'll ever seen. This is by far the best match I've seen this week.

O'Sullivan 1-1 Walden (55-58)

Oh this game! Sliding a red along the top cushion, Ronnie gets a heavy contact! Can Ricky get at the final red, on the side cushion? He can, but he's got to send it long and diagonally, against the nap, to the green pocket ... and it's there! What a pot! He's going to steal this back!

O'Sullivan 1-1 Walden (40-35)

Ronnie has been good in the balls tonight - I say this a lot, but his ability to plot a route through a break is an absolute joke. Just perfect shots, of thought and execution, one after the other.

O'Sullivan 1-1 Walden (4-35)

Then Ricky misses one, Ronnie misses one and Ricky misses one; he'll be fearing the worst because, as Dave Hendon says, "it's a table with reds open and Ronnie O'Sullivan at it."

O'Sullivan 1-1 Walden (0-13)

A tactical start to frame three, and it's Ronnie who makes the first error, leaving a pretty simple long one to left corner. Ricky cuffs it home and cannons a path for the black in the process. Nice!

Around the tables

Ali Carter 3-2 Scott Donaldson

Matthew Stevens 2-3 Zhang Anda

Hossein Vafaei 3-2 Ryan Day

O'Sullivan 1-1 Walden

Both players look in decent touch here. This might be a thriller.

O'Sullivan 0-1 Walden (38-40)

There's a red a little off the top cushion, but no reason to think Ronnie won't get on it nicely ... he does ... and the black will draw him level. down it goes, and that's a reminder, as if Ricky needed one: don't miss.

O'Sullivan 0-1 Walden (38-40)

We've seen this one before. Ronnie isn't as good a clearer-upper as Higgins, but he's good enough, and quickly and quietly he claws back the deficit.

O'Sullivan 0-1 Walden (1-40)

But faced with a dilemma - an oblique cut to left-middle or end of break - he opts for the latter, misses, and hands Ronnie the fruits of his labour.

O'Sullivan 0-1 Walden (0-27)

A tactical start to frame two, and with the black over right corner, Ricky picks out a great plant to left corner. You can tell he's enjoying this, and he's got the pack spread - but not much access to pink and black.

Around the tables

Ali Carter 3-2 Scott Donaldson

Matthew Stevens 2-3 Zhang Anda

Hossein Vafaei 3-2 Ryan Day

O'Sullivan 0-1 Walden

This is shaping up.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Walden (38-71)

So he gets it involved a-sap, but though he finds a great shot to pot the black, he can't get on the final red and leaves it cuttable to middle. It'd be a serious pot if he managed it, and he can't - Angles says when you're playing a top player, you have to be more circumspect in this kind of situation. Anyway, Ronnie then clatters great effort straight to the green pocket, for the ball to do everything but go down, and this has been a great frame. Ronnie, though, then leaves a cut to middle, and Ricky will be extremely relieved.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Walden (8-70)

Or is he. He runs out of position, and sends the white onto the baulk cushion then, next go, sticks a red and the black on cushions. So Ronnie caresses a fine starter to the green pocket and follows it with a pink, but he needs the black involved, a-sap.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Walden (0-54)

Ricky's in again, picking off lose reds before digging into the pack, such that it is - he's been at it like when you see sharks guzzle shoals off fish, and when he does finally get involved it goes nicely. He's going to win this frame at this visit.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Walden (0-16)

Ricky's been on a tremendous run this term, and is now 18th in the world, regularly reaching the later stages of tournaments - he's already beaten Yan Bingtao today. Not bad. He gets in first but can only manage red-black, likewise when he does a second time, and we're back playing safety.

We go again...

Coming up next

Ronnie O'Sullivan v Ricky Walden. Back of the net!

Judd speaks

He says Jimmy will be annoyed he didn't push Judd closer, because he had chances. On the blue he missed, he says he'd never ever miss it in practise, but he's not quite got the confidence at the moment, so gets nervous knowing all the balls are available. When he's playing well, he feels he can make tons 15 frames in a row. Now he's dropped to three in the world, he says he's getting slightly harder draws, and might meet Neil Robertson next, but he likes playing against the best players.

Around the tables

Ali Carter 1-2 Scott Donaldson

Matthew Stevens 1-2 Zhang Anda

Hossein Vafaei 2-1 Ryan Day

Judd Trump beats Jimmy Robertson 4-1!

Judd's played well tonight, the best he's played this week, though still a fair way off his ridiculous best. He may not play as well as he did against Higgins in his world final win ever again. He finishes with a round 100, and meets Neil Robertson or Ben Woolaston next.

Trump 3-1 Robertson (79-0)

A black to left corner seals the match - Judd's guzzled this chance with alacrity. Can one guzzle without alacrity? There's no reason to think this isn't another ton.

Trump 3-1 Robertson (31-0)

Into the pack Judd goes, and is rewarded with a blue needing to go long to the yellow pocket. He bags it beautifully, and this is so over. Jimmy will point to two missed balls - the red in frame one and the pink in frame four - but that's sort of the point.

Trump 3-1 Robertson (14-0)

Jimmy is fed up. Judd gets in immediately, and this could easily be curtains.

Around the tables

Ali Carter 1-2 Scott Donaldson

Matthew Stevens 1-1 Zhang Anda

Hossein Vafaei 2-1 Ryan Day

Trump 3-1 Robertson

Watching Judd sink the pink, Jimmy will feel sick. I feel sick on his behalf. And how many times have we seen it, a player desperate for position missing the pot. He'll have to go some to win from here, but on the other hand, he's competing well.

Trump 2-1 Robertson (59-47)

Jimmy's nicely on the blue to get nicely on the pink, to get behind the black. This is a crucial moment in this match ... and OH MY DAYS! HE'S MISSED THE PINK! OH, THIS GAME.

Trump 2-1 Robertson (51-33)

Judd bosses the safety exchange, but misses the pot he eventually takes on and leaves Jimmy a starter to the green pocket; he takes it well, and plays a beautiful shot on the pink that develops a red stuck on the side by Judd. This has been a belting frame! And have we a new favourite for it?

Trump 2-1 Robertson (51-8)

Judd looks set here, but then he drops short on the blue, so can't come from it into the pack. Instead, he takes a harder pink, which spots between the white and the only potential next red, so a safety it is - one which also sticks the black on its cush.

Trump 2-1 Robertson (32-8)

Oh, man!Jimmy leaves Judd well down the table, and with no obvious safety, he finesses a glorious pot to right corner. There's work to do here but also some easy points to begin with.

Trump 2-1 Robertson (16-8)

Judd takes the hammer to a left-corner starter and misses, then does likewise to a right-corner one and down it goes. But he soon runs out of position, and playing back to baulk off the black, sends down a red at the same time. That's no big deal, but Jimmy then clips a great one from centre to right corner ... only to finish on nowt. He tucks in behind the brown and grimaces.

Around the tables

Ali Carter 0-1 Scott Donaldson

Matthew Stevens 1-0 Zhang Anda

Hossein Vafaei 2-0 Ryan Day

Trump 2-1 Robertson

Jimmy has, we're told, done a lot of work on his mental game, so is much better at holding it together when under pressure. And he takes these coolly, clearing up with a 63. He's back in the match.

Trump 2-0 Robertson (13-52)

it's Jimmy who wins the ensuing safety exchange, but he can only add a green to it, and on nothing has to disturb a red on the side - unhelpful if you're protecting a 30-point lead. When it moseys towards right corner, Judd has a go at it and misses by a distance, then he plays a terrible shot that hands Jimmy the keys to the frame.

Trump 2-0 Robertson (13-39)

Eeesh, Jimmy misses a pink sent long to the green pocket, and he's seen this one before. There's only one loose red, though, so Judd rattles home the pink and gets into the pack as heavily as circumstance allows. He's on nowt, though, so it's back to the baulk cushion for Jimmy.

Trump 2-0 Robertson (5-14)

Jimmy needs to hold it down here, and he feathers a red that's close to the middle bag to get underway. Shortly afterwards, he splits the pack, but then potting a red to right corner with the rest, he screws back into left-middle. Oh, Jimmy! But Judd then misses a blue to left corner, I've no idea how - it's not dissimilar to the red Jimmy missed - and this is now a chance that must be taken.

Around the tables

Ali Carter 0-1 Scott Donaldson

Matthew Stevens 1-0 Zhang Anda

Hossein Vafaei 1-0 Ryan Day

Trump 2-0 Robertson

Judd misses a nasty red to the green pocket, but given he's on 103 at the time, I suspect he'll cope.

Trump 1-0 Robertson (76-0)

Judd has taken these superbly, finding a recovery pot when he needed one but otherwise working out the break in double-quick time. That red Jimmy missed will still be rankling, because he's now halfway home.

Trump 1-0 Robertson (24-0)

Judd sends a red to right corner but can't get to the black so will have to take a tricky blue ... no he won't, he can sneak through a gap to send a pink to middle, and with that shot he's manufactured a decent opportunity. Not for long: he flicks a red that means he's got to hammer his next one long to the green pocket ... and down it goes. That is tremendous work, and as the competition intensifies, so does Judd.

Around the tables

Ali Carter 0-0 Scott Donaldson

Matthew Stevens 0-0 Zhang Anda

Hossein Vafaei 0-0 Ryan Day

Trump 1-0 Robertson

A heartbreaker for Jimmy. He can't be giving away frames like that if he's to beat Judd in a best of seven.

Trump 0-0 Robertson (68-52)

In making sure of the blue, he doesn't get position on the pink, so Jimmy returns to the table seeking the snooker he needs. Good luck, old mate.

Trump 0-0 Robertson (63-52)

We're back underway, and Jimmy will be wincing with every ball Judd despatches; I can't stress enough the ease of the pot he missed. And it turns out we were misinformed, Judd doesn't even need the pink, so he'll drop in the blue and that'll be that.

Trump 0-0 Robertson (43-52)

Judd is rattling through balls here, having nudged the pink just a touch away from the side. But with two reds left, we've to pause as a spectator has been taken ill; godpseed.

Trump 0-0 Robertson (9-52)

Oh my absolute days, Jimmy jawses an easy red to left corner and leaves Judd the table! He'll need the pink, marooned on the side cushion, but he'll not have expected this chance so just being at the table is a bonus.

Trump 0-0 Robertson (0-44)

Another error from Judd allows Jimmy a starter, but he doesn't stick enough on the pot so can only nuzzle up to the black. Judd then fouls on the black, leaving a tempter to right middle, and Jimmy can't refuse it, but if he misses it he's leaving everything ... and it's there! He's not got a great chance to win the frame at this visit.

Trump 0-0 Robertson (0-16)

Jimmy's improved a lot lately, up to 27 in the world, and he's in first here, left a diagonal red to right corner. He cracks it home, but when he splits the pack he's left with nowt, so it's back to baulk.

Boys:baize interface

Locked!

Evening all!

And welcome to a bumper night of Welsh Open snook! We'll begin with Jimmy Robertson v Judd Trump, then continue with Ronnie O'Sullivan v Ricky Walden. Not bad, eh?

Join us again

The big stars do not drift from the schedule today as Judd Trump and Neil Robertson will both be taking to tables this evening to continue their campaigns. We'll be back with more LIVE updates then!

O’SULLIVAN 4-2 DING (58-18) - The Rocket books his spot in the next round

Ding misses a red to the green pocket and is unfortunate to see it flash right across the table and back to an e7ven easier position. O’Sullivan only needs that and easily tucks away a proverbial 'sitter' to secure the win.

O’SULLIVAN 3-2 DING (57-18)

On we go! O’Sullivan can see victory looming large on his horizon but can’t cut a difficult red into the middle left pocket and his break of 29 grinds to a halt.

O’SULLIVAN 3-2 DING (28-18)

It’s catching! Ding blows a similar black to the same pocket and he doesn’t make enough inroads with a break of 18 to put much heat on The Rocket. Now, can the five-time champion finish this match off from here?

O’SULLIVAN 3-2 DING (28-0)

Ronnie gets in early and Ding remains expressionless but must be wondering if he’ll get another visit to the table. As it turns out, his luck is in as O’Sullivan comes unstuck on a break 28 when he fails to tickle the black into the bottom right.

O’SULLIVAN 3-2 DING (77-61)

That was a rocket – from The Rocket! O’Sullivan bullets a tough, long red to the green pocket under real pressure and it lays the platform for a clearance of 30. He’s in the driving seat now.

O’SULLIVAN 2-2 DING (47-61)

So close! Ding gets excellent position on the final red that is tight to the left cushion. He knows he’s within a whisker of taking the frame but can’t convert and his break ends on 53.

O’SULLIVAN 2-2 DING (47-8)

We’ve seen some majestic potting but it’s been interspersed with surprising errors out of the blue. O’Sullivan notches up anther one here as a simple enough red to the middle right pocket hits the right jaw and stays out. It concludes his break at 40 and offers a lifeline to Junhui.

O’SULLIVAN 2-2 DING (7-8)

It’s a real mixed bag from Ding. He follows up an early foul with a brilliant safety shot tight to the green. It’s key to him having the first real chance of the frame but he bottles a routine red to the bottom left corner to halt his run abruptly. To make matters worse for him the balls look very inviting for O’Sullivan now.

O’SULLIVAN 2-2 DING (71-58)

A clearance of 43 ties this match once more! It was far from easy for The Rocket but he found his best form when it really mattered there. A sublime cut on the final red to the middle pocket is arguably his best shot of the match, even surpassing his long red down the right cushion earlier. It paves the way for him to easily hold position mopping up the colours. Will he take charge from here?

O’SULLIVAN 1-2 DING (21-58)

Disappointment for Ding. He fails to create the high position on the pink to get a good angle on two reds wedged at the bottom cushion. It makes the pot to the bottom left corner all the more difficult and it’s not to be for Junhui as his break ends on 57.

O’SULLIVAN 1-2 DING (21-1)

Ronnie chases position throughout a break of 13. Ding lets him straight back to the table and The Rocket corks a tough red all the way down the flank of the cushion to the bottom right pocket. However, he blows a big opportunity to build a strong lead with another surprising miss on a more routine red. Can Ding punish him and move within a frame of victory?

O’SULLIVAN 1-2 DING (4-1)

Ding opens the scoring once more but fouls as he attempts to get out of danger with the cue ball tight to the left edge of the pack of reds. Ronnie ushers him back to the table but this time the Chinese star gets the cue ball snug to the baulk cushion. The players exchange a succession of smart safety shots until Ding is first to blink to open the door for O’Sullivan.

O’SULLIVAN 1-2 DING

The 2012 champion does indeed but he can’t complete a clearance as he sinks the cue ball into the middle right as he slotted away the pink. It matters little as the job was well and truly done early on during his second visit to the table.

O’SULLIVAN 1-1 DING (0-65)

A wince of frustration from Ronnie. He inadvertently fouls by potting the black and Ding should finish this off now.

O’SULLIVAN 1-1 DING (0-58)

Ding is very unlucky with a fine cut on the black to the bottom left. It halts his break at 58 and means a frame that was within touching distance remains alive.

O’SULLIVAN 1-1 DING (85-42)

No lapses in concentration for The Rocket this time. He produces a quite splendid stun shot to cut a red into bottom left to get position on the blue and maintain a break that turns into an excellent 85 clearance. All square.

O’SULLIVAN 0-1 DING (0-42)

A solid start from Ding comes to an abrupt halt at 42. He stretches to put away what should be a relatively clean red to the bottom right but the ball refuses to go down. It’s that type of miss that has blighted his attempts to make inroads in the rankings.

O’SULLIVAN 0-1 DING (54-80)

The Chinese ‘Star of the East’ doesn’t squander the present this time around. He puts together a very tidy break of 72 to get on the board.

O’SULLIVAN 0-0 DING (54-8)

Wow. It almost feels like this opener is turning into a competition for who can produce the worst miss. O’Sullivan is going to take some beating if that's the case! He fails to roll a routine red to the bottom left corner and it tickles the jaws of the pocket before sitting up perfectly for Ding to take advantage.

That could well cost The Rocket a frame he looked a certainty to get under his belt.

O’SULLIVAN 0-0 DING (27-8)

Ouch. A fatal hesitation looking to ease a red to the bottom left corner earns a few groans of dismay from the spectators. It’s early days, but Ding doesn’t look too confident out there.

O’SULLIVAN 0-0 DING (27-0)

Ronnie opens in style by despatching a sumptuous red to the bottom right corner. However, a very surprising miss to the bottom right after regaining position via the blue ends his break all too prematurely from his point of view. Chance for Ding.

HERE WE GO!

Ding to break first in this round three contest. First to four frames progresses.

HEAD TO HEAD

There have been some fine encounters over the years but the Rocket pretty much owns the H2H 18-4 from 22 matches.

A battle of the past winners

The Rocket is a five-time winner of this tournament with Ding triumphing just the once in 2012. It has all the makings of a cracker with the players due at the table shortly.

Welcome

It is time for more sensational snooker action at the Welsh Open. Thanks for joining us and welcome to another day of top action.

Ronnie O'Sullivan will no doubt get the pulses racing when he takes on Ding Junhui from 1pm UK time with Shaun Murphy also in early-afternoon action.

The big stars do not drift from the schedule today as Judd Trump and Neil Robertson will both be taking to tables this evening to continue their campaigns.