Ronnie scored heavily in beating Tom Ford by 5-1 to reach the semi-finals of the 2022 European Masters. He will face Liang Wenbo tonight over best of 11 frames to try to book his spot in the final.
Here are the scores:
O’Sullivan To Face Liang In Semis
Ronnie O’Sullivan stepped up his pursuit for a 39th career ranking title and second of the season as he thrashed Tom Ford 5-1 to reach the semi-finals of the BetVictor European Masters.
O’Sullivan is into his 87th ranking event semi-final and on Saturday evening in Milton Keynes he will meet close friend Liang Wenbo, who edged out Anthony McGill 5-4 by coming from 58 points behind to win the deciding frame.
O’Sullivan has lost just nine frames in his five matches so far this week, albeit without meeting an opponent ranked inside the world’s top 25. He has made seven centuries and 14 more breaks over 50 during the event and the 46-year-old will be hard to stop as he seeks to double his tally of titles this season, having won the Cazoo World Grand Prix in December.
Breaks of 136 and 90 put O’Sullivan 2-0 up within 20 minutes. In frame three, Ford led 58-27 when he missed a tricky final red to a baulk corner, and his opponent punished him with a 32 clearance. The fourth was even more painful for Ford as he made 72, only for O’Sullivan to respond with 74.
After the interval, Ford got the better of a scrappy fifth frame, but the contest was soon over as O’Sullivan finished in style with a 109 which included a fabulous shot from black to yellow.
Here is the shot mentioned above:
Ronnie made a terrific start of the match, but after a terrible miscue in the third frame, he looked concerned by the state of his tip and it appeared to lower both his confidence and his performance to an extend.
The 72 by Ford in the fourth was a maximum attempt: nine reds with blacks. Had Tom managed the feat he would have shred the high break prize with Thepchaiya Un-nooh who had made a maximum at the qualifiersnearly 4 months ago.
I’m sure that our resident troll will make the most of the fact that Ronnie hasn’t faced a player in the top 25 yet, but another fact is that you can only beat who is in front of you. Ronnie was due to face Ali Carter in the last 16; Ali is a player he doesn’t particularly like to play and who has caused him problems in the past. But Ashley Hugill beat Carter, before being beaten by Ronnie. Ronnie was due to face John Higgins in the quarter-finals, but Tom Ford whitewashed Higgins, before being beaten by Ronnie. And Ronnie was initially due to face Judd Trump in the semi-finals, but Trump went out to Kurt Maflin. He could have been facing Anthony McGill instead. Anthony is the man who beat him at the Crucible last year, and the only other top 16 player remaining in the draw at QF stage, but Liang got the better of Anthony yesterday …
What this tournament has amply demonstrated is how good a lot of players down the rankings are nowadays and that the idea that the top boys only have to turn up to beat them easily is preposterous.
Ronnie O'Sullivan 
In his post-match interview after beating Liang Wenbo, Ronnie said “If I can get another three World Championships out of my career then great.”
By “get”, does he mean “win”, or just “play in”…?
My guess is “play in”. I can’t see Ronnie going to qualifiers really. So, when he drops off the top 16, that will be it I feel.
I could be wrong, but it seems like Ronnie’s break-off shot might be a bit improved this week. He doesn’t seem to be bringing the red as far up the table near the left middle pocket…
He also seems to be getting the white behind the baulk colors better on the break-off…
Not that it really matters much, but I believe that Thepchaiya made a 144 in qualifying, not a 147.
On a different note, maybe I’m wrong, but Ronnie seems to be playing this week with a “freedom” that makes it seem as if a burden has recently been lifted off his shoulders…
You are right Mark and I should have checked. My mistake comes from trusting the commentators yesterday who were saying that if Ford had made a maximum he would need to share the prize with Theppy.
Fabulous match yesterday, of course you can only beat who is there. Ford actually nicely beat not only Higgins twice, but also Trump this season. I just hope Ronnie being now the clear favourite for the title won’t backfire.
resident troll here: I actually think that Ronnie has been amazing this week, 7 centuries in five matches. what is sad is that again, you hardly give him credit, you mention Ford’s maximum attempt but then you don’t praise how brilliant Ronnie’s 74 was to turn the frame around, or the amazing shot in the last frame to develop the yellow, you rather go on about the miscue. sometimes I feel that you are giving Ronnie as little credit as possible
I actually posted a video of that amazing shot on the yellow … and I’m still hoping to find a footage of that 74 that isn’t a “short version”. I think that I give plenty of credit to Ronnie. Where would be his merit if his opponents were just numpties? And remember … not long ago YOU not me were telling that he can’t beat a top player for his life and wouldn’t win another tournament. So who isn’t giving him credit?