Ronnie O’Sullivan eases past Ding Junhui 6-1 to book World Grand Prix final spot; Masters champion and commentator Alan McManus: “I’ve seen it and I don’t believe it. It was mind-boggling. It was one of those ‘I was there’ nights because frankly it cannot get any better that that”
Last Updated: 20/01/24 9:37pm
Ronnie O’Sullivan is through to the final of the World Grand Prix after a semi-final win over Ding Junhui
Ronnie O’Sullivan laid on a “mind-boggling” masterclass as he booked his place in Sunday’s World Grand Prix final with a 6-1 win against China’s Ding Junhui.
Even by O’Sullivan’s standards, one week after sealing a record-extending Masters title, he produced a special display at the Morningside Arena in Leicester, which included four quickfire century breaks.
When he sank the final black to set up a meeting with three-time winner Judd Trump, the match was a little over 70 minutes long.
O’Sullivan made a superb start, making two centuries in the opening three frames to lead 2-1, with his potting close to perfection
Ding didn’t stand a chance facing an O’Sullivan ‘masterclass’
He opened with a break of 135 and, after Ding responded with a score of 85 to level it up at 1-1, O’Sullivan followed up with a 128.
He made a break of 88 in the fourth frame to open up a 3-1 lead, with all four frames before the interval taking just under 45 minutes.
Ding, who beat compatriot Zhang Anda 5-1 to book his semi-final place, was under pressure, but after being given a chance at the start of the fifth frame, he faltered when on 28.
O’Sullivan ruthlessly punished him, compiling a score of 90 to motor 4-1 ahead with an average shot time, up to the end of the fifth frame, of 14 seconds.
Ding erred on a tricky safety shot early in the sixth frame and O’Sullivan stepped in to rattle off his third century – 128 – to lead 5-1 after one hour and four minutes.
He pounced on another Ding mistake in frame seven and faultlessly cleared the table for a final break of 124.
O’Sullivan is arguably in the form of his career at the age of 48
Match commentator and former world champion Ken Doherty told ITV4 that it was the best session of snooker he had ever seen.
Doherty said: “He’s such an artist, such a genius. It’s artistic, poetic, it’s balletic. It’s like snooker from the gods without a shadow of a doubt.”
Co-commentator and former Masters champion Alan McManus added: “I’ve seen it and I don’t believe it.
“It was mind-boggling. It was actually one of those ‘I was there’ nights because frankly it cannot get any better that that.
“From the very start to the very end it was perfection.”