It was an afternoon to forget for Ronnie as he went out to Ding Junhui, beaten by 6-0.

Here are the scores:

It’s the first time ever that Ronnie fails to win a single frame in a Triple Crown event match.

Ding played extremely well, and Ronnie was as bad and out-of-sorts as I ever can remember. He had opportunities in the first two frames and couldn’t take any. He didn’t pot a single long ball, he missed a simple black off the spot in frame one, he misjudged his safeties, he miscued spectacularly in frame 2, he didn’t get a single “rest shot” right…

Of course Ding took confidence from this and from frame 3 on, it was just one way traffic. He served the fans a master class and remembered everyone how good a player he is. I just hope that he now goes on and wins the tournament. He’s won it three times already…

Ronnie was very gracious in defeat

… and praised his opponent afterwards.

Here is the report by WST:

Ding Hits Rocket For Six

Ronnie O’Sullivan was whitewashed in a Triple Crown event for the first time in his 30-year career as he lost 6-0 to Ding Junhui in the quarter-finals of the Cazoo UK Championship.

Rarely in O’Sullivan’s glittering career has he been so severely beaten. He failed to make a break over 50, and scored just four points in the last four frames as Ding ran away with the contest.

As World Champion and world number one, winner of two titles already this season and with seven UK Championship crowns to his name, O’Sullivan was hot favourite for the £250,000 top prize in York, but was completely outplayed today. He made several errors over the first two frames, which allowed Ding to build confidence, and from 2-0 the Chinese ace was unstoppable, making four breaks over 80.

The 35-year-old goes through to Saturday afternoon’s semi-final where he will meet Tom Ford or Joe Perry; all three of those players are ranked outside the top 16 and had to come through the qualifying rounds to make it to the Barbican. Ding has slipped to 38th in the world rankings but there is no doubting his exceptional talent. He won this tournament in 2005, 2009 and 2019, and is looking to become the only player other than O’Sullivan (seven titles), Steve Davis (six) and Stephen Hendry (five) to lift the trophy on four or more occasions. If Ding, Ford or Perry win the title on Sunday, that would also come with a top 16 place and a spot in the Cazoo Masters in January.

The opening frame came down to a safety battle on the green, and Ding played a superb shot to swerve around the blue and pot the green to a baulk corner, setting up a clearance. In frame two, O’Sullivan trailed 50-56 when he missed a tricky pot on the last red to a centre pocket, and his opponent punished him for 2-0. A break of 88 saw Ding extend his lead.

Early in frame four, O’Sullivan had a scoring chance but made just 4 before mis-cueing on a short range red. Ding enjoyed a massive fluke on a red to a centre pocket and capitalised with 94. The 14-time ranking event winner picked up where he left off after the interval with a run of 87 for 5-0, and saved his best until last as he rounded off the contest with a 131.

“I played well, I got my chances and had a bit of luck,” said Sheffield-based Ding. “It’s difficult to play Ronnie, I know when I’m in front he can come back very quickly. But today he didn’t look like he could do it. In the first two frames he missed a lot, and that released a bit of pressure. After the interval I had to keep my focus.

“I want to win but it’s a big thing to say that. I’m just going to get ready for tomorrow’s match. It’s only the semi-finals. Nobody knows what will happen tomorrow and all I can do is keep playing well and see what happens

“I’ve got a lot of fans now, a lot of luck. The Chinese students in York support me, and some of our academy players come to watch my game. I’m very happy that they’re here.”

O’Sullivan, who turns 47 next month, said: “It’s great to see Ding play well. He’s a class act. Afterwards I just said to him ‘you played great, go and win it, get the job done.’ I think we’re all Ding fans. Some days you play and it goes great and some days it doesn’t. It was just one of those days, what can you do? Thirty years I’ve been at this game, I’ve taken a few knocks along the way.”