World Open snooker: Ronnie O'Sullivan battles past Alfie Burden to qualify for Yushan ranking event, Jimmy White loses

Updated 25/01/2024 at 06:00 GMT

Ronnie O'Sullivan rounded off a glorious week as he earned his 15th straight competitive win to book his place in the last 64 of the World Open in China with a 5-3 victory over Alfie Burden. The new World Grand Prix champion was given a tough test by Burden, who produced a delightful 104 break to level at 3-3 before the UK and Masters champion claimed the final two frames to progress.

Watch: O'Sullivan takes off shoes mid-frame in World Open qualifier

Ronnie O'Sullivan held off a spirited effort by Alfie Burden to book his spot in the last 64 of the World Open in Yushan with a 5-3 qualifying win that saw the world No. 1 finish with breaks of 83 and 58 to seal the victory.

Fresh from lifting his fourth major title of the season at the World Grand Prix in Leicester with a 10-7 win over Judd Trump on Sunday, the Shanghai Masters, UK and Masters champion made the trip to the Barnsley Metrodome to face 2023 world seniors finalist Burden.

The world No. 98 watched O'Sullivan open with a 51 break before pinching the second frame on the black, but rallied to restore parity at 2-2 at the mid-session interval with a fine run of 61 in the fourth frame showing his ability to upset the odds.

Snooker

When does snooker GOAT O'Sullivan return to action?

09/05/2024 at 08:52

O'Sullivan – who had kicked off his trainers during the fourth frame due to an ongoing foot injury – moved 3-2 clear with a 67 only for Burden to produce the highest break of the match with a superb 104, but it was the 41-time ranking event winner who had the final say by securing the closing two frames.

He will face Michael White in the last 64 of the ranking event in Yushan (March 18-24), situated in the Jiangxi Province of China, a competition that will see defending champion Trump and world champion Luca Brecel open their respective campaigns at the finals venue.

O'Sullivan has suggested he is likely to miss the forthcoming German Masters and Welsh Open, but intends to compete at the Players Championship in Telford next month (February 19-26) along with the top 16 on the one-year ranking list, and is also set to travel to Saudi Arabia for a lucrative invitational event in early March (4-6).

The Tour Championship in Manchester (April 1-7) with the top eight on the one-year list is likely to be his final tournament stop ahead of the World Championship in Sheffield (April 20-May 6).

Elsewhere, 2020 world finalist Kyren Wilson produced sparkling breaks of 114, 113 and 121 in a 5-0 whitewash win against six-time world finalist Jimmy White, while Shaun Murphy rolled in 70, 127, 112 and 56 in another one-sided 5-0 drubbing of Mohamed Ibrahim.

Elliot Slessor finished strongly in a 5-2 win over 12-time women's world champion Reanne Evans with a 128 knock in the fifth frame giving him the platform to claim the final three frames.

But Slessor's friend and Scottish Open champion Gary Wilson is out after losing 5-4 to Stuart Carrington, who won a tense decider having led 4-1, with 1997 world champion Ken Doherty also falling at the first hurdle in a 5-0 defeat to Sam Craigie.

Masters finalist Ali Carter overcame Ahmed Aly Elsayed 5-1 earlier on Tuesday with Iran's leading player Hossein Vafaei ending Liam Pullen's hopes in a 5-2 success.