Welsh Open - Rd 2

Wednesday Afternoon

Featured Match –

Ronnie O’Sullivan v Jimmy White 4 – 0 

Highest Break 70 – O’Sullivan (Frame 3)

Jimmy White broke off this classic encounter. White refused a pot on the red with his second shot. O’Sullivan missed a long red, White attempted a long pot that he missed. O’Sullivan missed a thin clip on the red and gave away a 4-point foul. O’Sullivan potted the first red and missed a blue into the yellow pocket. On a break of 16, White missed a straight red to middle. After some safety play, White attempted a cut on a red into the right bottom pocket, which he missed but was lucky that the cue-ball ended up within the pack, forcing O’Sullivan to play safe. White made a mistake with his safety and left Ronnie a red which he cleared but he surprisingly ran out of position and had to play safe of the green. The scores were 43 – 16 to O’Sullivan. White was performing well and sticking to the task against the former World Champion. White potted a red along the bottom cushion but was making the break harder work then it should have been, he did not have full control of the cue-ball but then he got his cue-arm going, after potting a very thin red into right centre he cannoned the black and failed the get on the last red. White played the snooker behind the black on the bottom cushion. Because the red was touching the black, O’Sullivan was looking at an impossible escape, first attempt he hit the yellow, the second shot was better but again he missed it. White went one point in front 43 – 44. The third attempt Ronnie provided the great as he hit the red by going up and down the table but left it on for White. White potted it and then laid another snooker behind the black, while O’Sullivan needing the hit the yellow, he hit that one his second attempt. Then White blasted the yellow into the right corner pocket but missed the green and was lucky that the white did not go in off. The brown and blue were sitting on top of each other in the baulk end making a good target for a snooker, White gave away a foul after failing to contact the green. O’Sullivan potted a long green, the brown, a difficult blue and a long pink to take the 27-minute opening frame.

Frame 2, White fluked a red after playing the red around the table from baulk it dropped into the left corner bottom pocket, he missed the yellow and it ended up within the pack of reds. O’Sullivan potted a long red and after playing a brilliant shot on the brown into the right middle pocket, he was right in again. Its not many times that we see O’Sullivan miss a black from the spot but miss it he did. White stepped in and cleared the red but refused the thin cut on the black and played cue-ball back into baulk. O’Sullivan took a long time over his next shot, he tried to play a plant onto the red over the left corner bottom pocket. Again, White came back to the table 21 points behind but on a break of 8 had a bad contact and missed the red. The frame was swaying one way and another, O’Sullivan was in. Yet again he had run out of position after potting the blue, but now he had 39-point lead. White then potted a red down the cushion that went in off the pink, he was not a fluke he played it that way but failed to get on a colour so played safe off the yellow. The scores were 49 – 11. White played a brilliant safety that caused O’Sullivan to miss the red and hit the yellow. White attempt a long red, missed it but did not leave it on. White was playing some excellent safety shots trying to force O’Sullivan into a mistake, which he did White potted the red, after potting the blue he missed the canon on the closest the pink, he left a pot on for O’Sullivan but missed the cut to left middle and White had a chance to win his first frame. He doubled the last red into the left middle pocket, and he potted the yellow, he nearly played a brilliant cannon on the green, but it stopped just before the right middle pocket and played safe. O’Sullivan was 12 points in front, 49 – 37. O’Sullivan played a great snooker behind the black, he escaped but left the green over the green pocket which cleared and went onto win the scrappy 2^nd frame.

Frame 3, White missed a pot on a red into left corner but was lucky to cover the red with the blue, after O’Sullivan’s safety. White potted one red by clipping off another red into the left pocket, he missed the black into a blind pocket. O’Sullivan got in again and after potting the second red of the break into the yellow pocket, which looked difficult. He quickly accumulated a break of 70 using his right and left hand to win the 3^rd frame, he missed another black from the spot but White conceded. The Rocket was now stepping up the gear and was looking more like the O’Sullivan who beat Robbie Williams in Round One. O’Sullivan now needed one more frame to book a place in the last 16 and looking very ominous for The Whirlwind.

Frame 4 began with White attempting a long red, he was fortunate not to leave it for the man in incredible form. White misjudged a safety shot, which let O’Sullivan he got a massive kick on the red he was attempted to pot. White missed a red along the cushion, the rocket was back in again, his attacking shot from the black to spilt the pack went wrong and had to play the cue-ball back to baulk. White then replied with an excellent safety shot from a difficult position. O’Sullivan played an average safety shot, which left a mid-range red for White but could not take advantage. O’Sullivan potted a red into the right middle and with 28 – 0 lead and the reds open, took full control of the match by easily making a break to win the frame and it didn't take him long win yet another match 4 – 0. It was a little disappointing to see White get Whitewashed (no punishment intended) however it was good to see him play.