World Open 2024: Ronnie O'Sullivan and Judd Trump remain on collision course after reaching last 16
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Updated 20/03/2024 at 14:54 GMT
Ronnie O'Sullivan was in action on day three of the World Open in Yushan, China, and booked his place in the last 16 with a 5-2 victory over Lyu Haotian. The Rocket made four 50-plus breaks and will play Hossein Vafaei next. Also through is Judd Trump, who beat Fan Zhengyi 5-3. Stream top snooker action, including the World Snooker Championship, live on discovery+.
'Typically quickfire stuff' - O'Sullivan rattles in terrific 129 break at World Open
Ronnie O'Sullivan ran off three frames in a row to complete a 5-2 victory over Lyu Haotian and book his place in the last 16 of the World Open.
'The Rocket' was much improved from the previous round and made four 50-plus breaks, including a century, to set up a meeting with Hossein Vafaei.
Lyu played his part in a high-quality contest but was left to rue a simple miss on a yellow that would have drawn him level at 3-3 before a poor break-off shot allowed O'Sullivan to seal his progress in style.
O'Sullivan laboured against Michael White in a scrappy second-round contest but showed flashes of his best on Wednesday in Yushan, China.
Breaks of 64 and 99 put the seven-time world champion 1-0 and 2-1 clear, but Lyu hit back each time and levelled at 2-2 going into the mid-session interval with a composed knock of 82.
O'Sullivan restored his slender advantage with a sublime century when play resumed, although Lyu looked set to make it 3-3 and set up a tense finale.
A brilliant long red into the green pocket put the frame at his mercy but he inexplicably missed the simplest of yellows to fall 4-2 behind.
And that proved to be the key moment of the match. A poor break-off in the seventh frame left O'Sullivan a chance at a long red with his hand on the table and he made no mistake before composing a break of 96 to get over the line.
Up next for O'Sullivan is a clash against Vafaei, who earlier dispatched Robert Milkins by the same scoreline.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2024/03/20/3933487-79902513-2560-1440.jpg)
'A beautifully played shot' - O'Sullivan's delightful double at World Open
Judd Trump also booked his place in the last 16 with a 5-3 win over Fan Zhengyi.
The Englishman raced into a three-frame lead with breaks of 52 and 109, but Fan responded to get within one at 3-2 behind.
Trump restored his cushion in the next, but Fan kept his hopes alive by coming through a scrappy seventh frame.
However, the former world champion wouldn't be denied. A fine cut helped Trump establish a 30-point cushion in the eighth frame before he returned to knock in a century to advance.
The 34-year-old will take on David Lilley next for a place in the quarter-finals after he earlier beat Dominic Dale.
Selby and Robertson ease through
Mark Selby made two breaks of 136 in a 5-2 victory against Long Zehuang.
The Jester from Leicester won the first three frames, and although he was pegged back to 3-2, breaks of 57 and 54 saw him into the next round.
It's a star-studded round of 16 line-up that also includes Neil Robertson. The Australian proved too strong for Yuan Sijun and completed a comfortable 5-2 win.
Robertson will next take on Chris Wakelin, who thumped Ali Carter 5-1 in a high-quality encounter that featured four centuries.
Elsewhere, Jackson Page and Elliot Slessor advanced to the last 16 with wins over Wu Yize and Matthew Stevens respectively.
- - -
Stream top snooker action, including the World Snooker Championship, live on discovery+
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement