Ronnie O’Sullivan coasted into the semi-finals of the World Grand Prix in Leicester with a 5-1 win over Gary Wilson.
Following a controversial eighth Masters triumph over Ali Carter, O’Sullivan has continued to questioned his snooker future, admitting he no longer gets enjoyment from the way he is playing.
However, the 48-year-old, set to take a break of a couple of months following the end of the tournament, showed no lack of sharpness as he recovered from losing the opening frame to move 3-1 ahead with a clearance of 129 either side of two half-centuries.
O'Sullivan beats Wilson in QF4!#worldgrandprix @spreadexsport @ronnieo147
— WST (@WeAreWST) January 19, 2024
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Wilson, the reigning Northern Ireland Open champion, fell further behind after his break finished on 52, allowing O’Sullivan back to the table to secure the snooker needed before going on to clear the colours.
O’Sullivan swiftly completed a comfortable win with another break of 58 in the sixth frame.
“Gary didn’t get any running of the ball today, everything he’d done went wrong and everything I did went right – not even the flukes, just the nudges and kisses,” he said on ITV4.
“I felt sorry for Gary because people in the crowd would have not noticed it. It was just one of those matches where everything you do goes wrong.
“When I am cueing alright, it feels effortless, it feels easy, but that is why I have struggled for at least two years now since I won the World Championship in 2022.
“I really haven’t played well, and it has worried me. I don’t know if it is my arm, it is not going through as smooth, since I have had the bad injury on the arm, it feels like I haven’t played well at all.”
O’Sullivan continued: “Technically I would probably be one of the worst players on the tour and I would give everything to be able to hit the ball like the majority of the players.
“There are other bits of the game I am probably blessed with that I don’t probably recognise, that is all I can put it down to really.
“My bad game is probably a pretty high standard – it has to be because I have won most of my tournaments not playing great. Just being able to win not at my best is probably my greatest asset.
“If I can feel comfortable and start enjoying playing, that would be great, I would give everything just for that.”
O'Sullivan ✅
Ding ✅
Greats progress to the last 4!
SF2: SAT 7pm #worldgrandprix @spreadexsport— WST (@WeAreWST) January 19, 2024
On the other table, China’s Ding Junhui beat compatriot Zhang Anda 5-1 to book his place in the semi-final against O’Sullivan on Saturday.
Zhang, who saw off defending champion Mark Allen in last round, took the opening frame before Ding forged ahead at 4-1, helped by breaks of 102 and 73.
Ding then missed a long red when well set allowing Zhang to reduce the deficit with a break of 101 before the world number 11 got over the line with a run of 76 in the seventh frame.
