It might be the most open World Championship for quite some time but with Ronnie O’Sullivan in the draw there is only going to be one favourite with the bookies and it is hard to argue with that assessment following his victory over Mark Williams this afternoon. Ali Carter meanwhile recovered from losing the opening five frames of the session against Joe Perry to get over the line a 13-11 winner…
Unfortunately I was back at work today and will not be back at the Crucible until Saturday so will not be bumping into any players between now and then, but the snooker goes on and world number one Ronnie O’Sullivan was able to come through his match with Mark Williams to reach the quarter-finals of this tournament for the 12th time. As I say, I did not see their final session today but on paper at least it looks to have been a cracking afternoon of snooker with four centuries and another couple of 50+ breaks made between them.
Next up for O’Sullivan will be Mark Selby who rather predictably upped his game significantly from yesterday against Stephen Hendry and ran out a comfortable 13-5 winner. Stephen will no doubt have endured a restless sleep having lost that seventh frame in the manner that he did and having not taken advantage of Selby’s struggles, was below par today. Credit to Mark though, he like O’Sullivan was scoring heavily and their last eight clash has all the makings of another classic between the pair.
In the other match to have been concluded at the time of writing, Ali Carter withstood a superb fightback from Joe Perry to secure a 13-11 win and in the process end Perry’s hopes of staying inside the top 16. After a tough second session last night he had left himself a lot to do but surprised many to win the first five frames of the session and go into the lead at 11-10. A couple of years ago I might have expected Ali to have wilted under the pressure of such a comeback but he is made of sterner stuff these days and rebounded to take the next three and book his quarter-final place. The result also ensures that Liang Wenbo should now move up into the top 16, barring a run to the final by outsider Steve Davis that is.
Ali will next meet either Ding Junhui or Shaun Murphy who currently stand level at 10-10 in what always had the look of a close match. Ding I feel is the man in the better form but can he handle the pressure of the occasion against a man who has been there and done it at the Crucible before? Not so sure…