Today, Ronnie played better and looked better physically and mentally. He beat Gary Wilson by 5-1 in a fast and entertaining match. To be fair to Gary, he didn’t have much run and the score could have been closer. But, anyway, this was a massive improvement from yesterday on all accounts, and, well I was quite happy and relieved to see Ronnie in a much better place mentally, physically and in the balls. He will meet Ding – again – in the semi-finals, tomorrow.

Ding beat Zhang Anda by 5-2. I can’t comment on Ding’s match as I haven’t watched it (yet).

Here is WST report on this afternoon matches in Leicester

O’SULLIVAN TO FACE DING IN SEMIS

Ronnie O’Sullivan continued his quest to win a fourth title of the season as he beat Gary Wilson 5-1 to reach the semi-finals of the Spreadex World Grand Prix, setting up a clash with Ding Junhui.

In a repeat of last month’s UK Championship final, which the Rocket won 10-7, O’Sullivan and Ding will go head to head in Leicester at 7pm on Saturday evening. The winner will meet Judd Trump or Cao Yupeng in Sunday’s final. 

World number one O’Sullivan is in one of his best ever streaks, having won 12 consecutive matches, landing that UK title in York as well as last week’s Masters in London. He also claimed the silverware at the Shanghai Masters in September, so if he takes the top prize on Sunday it will be four trophies within as many months for the 48-year-old.

Scottish Open champion Wilson started strongly today as a 44 clearance – including a clever shot on the final pink to dislodge the black from a side cushion – gave him the opening frame. But the Wallsend cueman scored just two points in the next three frames as O’Sullivan rattled in breaks of 68, 129 and 78. Wilson led by 36 points on the last red in frame five, but failed to escape from a difficult snooker, and O’Sullivan later cleared the colours for 4-1. The seven-time Crucible king wrapped it up in the sixth with runs of 54 and 58.

“Gary didn’t get any run of the ball today, all the little nudges and kisses went my way,” O’Sullivan told ITV. “I haven’t played well since I won the world title in 2022, it is worrying because since I had my arm injury I have not cued well. Technically I must be one of the worst players on the tour, but it’s not just down to technical ability, otherwise Neil Robertson would win every tournament.

“There are other parts of the game I am blessed with that I don’t even recognise I am good at. I think I’m a good all-round player, my bad game is still a high standard – it must be because I have won tournaments without being at my best. That’s probably my greatest asset. I play the right shot at the right time, get aggressive when I need to, and defensive when I have to.“

Ding secured his progress with a 5-2 success against Zhang Anda. World number 11 Ding didn’t appear in a single ranking semi-final in 2020 or 2021, but has now reached five in the last 22 months having enjoyed an upturn in form over that period. The 36-year-old from China is showing signs of the game that has won him 14 ranking titles, most recently the 2019 UK Championship.

After losing the opening frame today, he took four in a row with top breaks of 102, 51 and 73. Zhang, who beat Ding in the quarter-finals on his way to winning the International Championship in November, pulled one back with a 101, before his opponent sealed victory in frame seven with a break of 74.

Ding said: “I watched Zhang’s game with Mark Allen and I didn’t think he was playing as well as he was two months ago. I tried to control the game today, played good safety and scored points when I got chances. I was happy for Zhang to win a title and to bring life into his snooker career.  

“When I was young I wanted to win every tournament once! So it would be a dream to win this one, and the others I have never won. I will need to play well against Ronnie and to concentrate. He has a lot of experience. I have to be strong.”

O’SULLIVAN WRAPS UP WILSON WIN

Here are the scores and how the match unfolded as reported ”live” by Eurosport

RESULT: O’SULLIVAN 5-1 WILSON

Ronnie with breaks of 68, 129, 78 and 58 to set up a semi-final with Ding Junhui or Zhang Anda on Saturday night. Ding is 4-1 up on Zhang in the remaining quarter-final. 

Ding with breaks of 102, 51 and 73 to leave himself one frame short of another meeting with O’Sullivan, who defeated him in the UK final and the Masters first round in recent weeks.

O’SULLIVAN 4-1 WILSON (122-6)

So Gary won the first frame, but will probably prefer to forget about the next five out there. O’Sullivan just too good really. Not only for Wilson, but the rest of the circuit. A closing knock of 58 from Ronnie and he continues along his merry way. 

O’SULLIVAN 4-1 WILSON (75-6)

A 54 break from Ronnie before he runs out of position. Short of the pink on the roll up. But hits it the second time. Leaves a tough cut on red for Ronnie, but he drops it in with ease. Still not over the line though as O’Sullivan can’t split the remaining reds. Wilson then sees a white hit a red before racing down the green pocket. Just about sums it up for him today. O’Sullivan heading for a 91st ranking event semi-final. 

O’SULLIVAN 4-1 WILSON (46-0)

This has been brilliant from O’Sullivan today. No matter what he is saying off the table, his body language is really good. Wilson looking forlorn as he misses a long red by miles, and gives it the thumbs up when the double kiss arrived off red. Could be a big break for Ronnie to finish.

O’SULLIVAN 3-1 WILSON (57-55)

Well, that is some steal for Ronnie. As cool as you like. Looked in the bag for Gary, but he is punished for a poor shot after moving 52 clear with 51 left up. O’Sullivan got the snooker, and the rest is history. 

O’SULLIVAN 3-1 WILSON (39-55)

Ronnie needing a snooker in this frame, so continues the fight after slotting two reds and black. Incredibly, Wilson misses the red as white somehow goes around it in baulk. Didn’t seem possible. And O’Sullivan plays another nasty snooker. Escapes, but leaves the yellow. 25 points in it, 27 points left up. And in goes the yellow for Ronnie. Needs the remaining colours. 

O’SULLIVAN 3-1 WILSON (3-40)

Wilson going along nicely in this frame. Two fine recovery pots on red and yellow. Really should see out the frame from this position. Nothing overly tricky to negotiate.

O’SULLIVAN 3-1 WILSON (3-16)

Safety blunder by O’Sullivan trying to arrow the white back to the baulk end. Opportunity then for Wilson to get hand on table and piece together a few points. 

O’SULLIVAN 3-1 WILSON (3-3)

Another fluke for Ronnie, but can’t land on a red from a fine pot on a yellow along the baulk cushion. No damage done yet in this frame. 

O’SULLIVAN 3-1 WILSON (0-2)

Boys back on the baize then. O’Sullivan two frames short of the semi-final in this contest. Wilson leaves a cut on a red to right middle off the break-off shot, but was thin and red doesn’t drop. Gary drops in the red, but just safety to follow. 

O’SULLIVAN 2-1 WILSON (86-1)

A break of 78 from O’Sullivan, and he moves 3-1 clear. Two more needed to reach the last four. Two good so far.

O’SULLIVAN 2-1 WILSON (70-1)

Well, this is another exceptional display by O’Sullivan, who is really warming to the occasion in freezing January. Every chance of back-to-back centuries coming up. 

O’SULLIVAN 2-1 WILSON (47-1)

Wilson probably can’t believe the bad running he has had so far, but must put that out of his mind here. With O’Sullivan right in the mood to pile on the points. Every chance of moving 3-1 ahead in next to no time. Winner of this match faces Ding Junhui or Zhang Anda in the last four. That match level at 1-1. 

O’SULLIVAN 2-1 WILSON (26-1)

So unlucky for Gary as he pots a tricky cut on a pink to the left centre, but sees a red drop down a top bag at the same time. And he has left Ronnie right bang in the heart of the action. Which is probably not advisable.

O’SULLIVAN 2-1 WILSON (0-0)

Ronnie with the break-off shot for the fourth frame of a possible nine. One more frame before the mid-session interval. 

O’SULLIVAN 1-1 WILSON (129-0)

A classy break from O’Sullivan with a supreme knock of 129, and he moves 2-1 ahead in the race to five. 

O’SULLIVAN 1-1 WILSON (103-0)

And in goes the century. 103. His third ton of the week. A quite magical piece of shot-making. Really is. The crowd loving every second of it. 

O’SULLIVAN 1-1 WILSON (68-0)

This a joyful piece of break-building. At one with the table as he chases a 12th straight match win. 

O’SULLIVAN 1-1 WILSON (52-0)

O’Sullivan looking right at the peak of his powers here as he opens up the reds via the black. What another great shot that is. Looking very, very good at close range. Average shot time is 15 seconds.

O’SULLIVAN 1-1 WILSON (19-0)

Great long red by Ronnie at the outset of the third frame, and he holds for the black. No thought about hedging his bets. Heavy contact on red, but in goes a terrific recovery pot on the yellow. What a brilliant pot. 

O’SULLIVAN 0-1 WILSON (98-1)

A rapid break of 68 from Ronnie, and this match is level at 1-1. Battle is joined at the World Grand Prix. 

O’SULLIVAN 0-1 WILSON (82-1)

Break heads over 50. Nice stuff this from Rocket Ronnie. Really is. No matter what he might think. 

O’SULLIVAN 0-1 WILSON (68-1)

Well, would you believe that. A huge fluke for Ronnie on a red trying to play safe, and he has landed right in among the reds. Glorious chance to level up this match at 1-1. Wilson with a rueful smile in his chair. “Just need to park it and move on,” says 1994 Masters champion Alan McManus. 

O’SULLIVAN 0-1 WILSON (30-0)

Excellent long red by O’Sullivan to get himself moving early in the second frame. Brilliant shot by Ronnie to crack open the pack of reds off the blue before he tucks home a neat black to keep break going. But he then misses a cut on red from the yellow as break ends on 30. And he isn’t happy with that effort as he heads back to his seat.

O’SULLIVAN 0-0 WILSON (57-67)

A real scrappy frame, but a brilliant 44 closing break by Gary is good enough to get the job done. A quite stunning shot from Wilson to spring the black from the side cushion near the baulk line after slotting pink off the spot. Black rolls up over the green bag, and that is easy pot to see out the frame. He leads 1-0.

O’SULLIVAN 0-0 WILSON (57-36)

Some of the safety has been top drawer from both men. Another superb safety by Ronnie brings about the error from Wilson, and this is chance to win the first frame for the Masters winner. But he can’t slot a tough red along top cushion. And on we go with Wilson trying to claw back this deficit. 

O’SULLIVAN 0-0 WILSON (50-23)

O’Sullivan not making the most of that chance, and a fine safety shot by Wilson prompts the error from Ronnie. But he can’t cash in as a red fails to drop with awkward cueing. What is O’Sullivan going to make here? Plenty of points to go at. But he then misses a red using the rest. Reprieve for Wilson. Four reds left up. 

O’SULLIVAN 0-0 WILSON (26-9)

Interesting safety joust between the players. Nobody pushing the boat out before Ronnie comes up with a stunning shot to rest behind the green on baulk cushion Gary responds with the containing safety. Decent shot too. But O’Sullivan breaks the deadlock with a brilliant pot on red to right middle. And in goes the mid-range pink to follow.

O’SULLIVAN 0-0 WILSON (13-9)

Ronnie with a couple of attempts to escape from a snooker nominating green before getting there the third time. O’Sullivan just failing to land on black from a longish red. Wilson then nails his own long red before rolling up behind the brown.

O’SULLIVAN 0-0 WILSON (6-0)

Wilson breaks off the first frame of a possible nine. First man to five frames will take their place in the last four. O’Sullivan slots a long red from distance straight off the bat. What a way to set your stall out. 

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