Welsh Open 2021 - Ronnie O'Sullivan crushes Robbie Williams to set up clash with Jimmy White
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Updated 16/02/2021 at 16:50 GMT
Judd Trump is the favourite for the event, but he will need to improve on the performance he delivered against Zhao Jianbo in the first round. Shaun Murphy was extremely impressive in getting the better of Zak Surety and he will be confident about defending the title he won at Cardiff's Motorpoint Arena 12 months ago. But Ronnie O'Sullivan looked in ominous form on Tuesday.
Ronnie O'Sullivan in action in the UK Championship
Image credit: Eurosport
Ronnie O’Sullivan powered into the second round of the Welsh Open with a 4-0 win over Robbie Williams.
The world champion has looked sharp in recent weeks, impressing despite not qualifying from the group stage of the Championship League, and he oozed quality in disposing of Williams at the Celtic Manor Resort.
Breaks of 56, 66, 122 and 73 were the highlights of a 4-0 win that was secured in 45 minutes.
Speaking in the Eurosport studio with Andy Goldstein and White, O’Sullivan said of his performance level, which is always the subject of intense debate: "It’s quite strange I think everybody else is more worried and intrigued by my form than I am in many ways.
"I just go out there and play, have a bit of fun, enjoy it. Just kills a bit of time, obviously I like to play well but it doesn’t ruin me.
Williams went into the game knowing he could not afford errors, but he coughed one up early in the first frame and a break of 56 from O’Sullivan set the tone for the contest.
The underdog knocked in an excellent plant in the second frame to show his quality, but he unpicked the good work by missing a pink into the middle and O’Sullivan stepped in with a 122 - his 26th ton of the season and 1087th of his career.
Williams had chances in the third as O’Sullivan missed a few balls, but he did not take them and a 66 break enabled the world champion to take the third.
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'Terrific bit of cueing... top class' - Ronnie sinks special red
The fourth frame summed up the contest, as Williams left a long red above ground and O’Sullivan knocked in a 73 to secure the win and a meeting with Jimmy White in the second round.
O'Sullivan said: “Listen, if you look at the game and the history of the game there’s only been three or four players who’ve managed to sell tickets and Jimmy has done that as well as anybody. It’s probably only me, Jimmy, Alex Higgins maybe,
“So legend playing junior legend.”
Mark Williams advanced to the second round in workmanlike rather than impressive fashion.
The three-time world champion’s highest break was 44, but it was enough to get him over the line in a 4-1 win over Michael White.
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'Delightfully constructed' - Watch the whole of Ronnie's magnificent 122 break
Jack Lisowski has had a few setbacks since losing to Judd Trump twice in a row in ranking finals, but he was able to get a foothold in the tournament when beating Lei Peifan 4-3.
Ryan Day, the Snooker Shoot Out winner, knocked in a break of 141 in the final frame to edge out Ian Burn s 4-3.
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