O'Sullivan and Selby in last eight battle
A repeat of The Masters final is in store at the last eight of the snooker world championship today. O’Sullivan is making his 12th appearance at a Crucible quarter-final, while Selby is looking to advance to the latter stages like he did in 2007.
O’Sullivan hasn’t won a world crown since 2008, but is now the favourite to win the tournament following the exit of defending champion John Higgins. The Rocket brushed aside the challenge of Mark Williams 13-10 in a high-quality encounter, with both players playing to their very best. A return to form for Williams was not enough to stop O’Sullivan from surging into the next round, and he sealed the win in great style with back to back centuries.
“It was nice to get through that game and come through against a top quality player. I've played too many up-and-down games over the years to get excited about it.
“It would be nice to keep applying the pressure to the opponent because that makes your job a bit easier. To be fair the last three or four years I've played better than I have in the previous twelve years, so it's not all doom and gloom. It's a big tournament and we all want to do well. There are a lot of nerves so it's probably difficult to enjoy yourself,” said O’Sullivan.
Selby came through his last match unscathed against seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry 13-5. The Jester from Leicester won a couple of frames that proved to be turning points in the match. One of them he won after needing two snookers, and the other from 60-odd points behind. The first session was tied at 4-4, but Selby blitzed his way through the second session wining seven of the eight frames and lead 11-5, and only needed two frames in the evening to wrap up the win.
“In the second session I did most of the damage. I scored at every opportunity I had. I seemed a bit flat going out there in the evening session because I knew if I mind my work I'd get over the line so it was difficult but I got over the line,” Selby said.
Matches between O’Sullivan and Selby always produce great spectacles. The Masters final in 2010 went all the way, with Selby coming from the brink at 9-6 down to pip O’Sullivan 10-9 and win The Masters for the second time in three years. In the previous year at that tournament Selby lost to O’Sullivan in the final 10-8. In 2008, Selby won his first ranking event from 8-5 behind to win 9-8 at the Welsh Open. They also met at the 2007 UK championship semi-final, where The Rocket fired in one of the best 147 maximums in the final frame to win 9-8.
“If I approach a game differently and change my plan that will affect me as well. Ronnie hasn't got many weaknesses so it would be hard to pick any out. I'd rather not play him at all, more often than not you expect to find Ronnie at the latter end of tournaments so if he's in your half you expect to have to play him at some point,” Selby said.
Ali Carter v Shaun Murphy
Carter booked his place in the last eight with a 13-11 win over Joe Perry. The Captain is playing in his third quarter-final in the last four years. Carter was in a commanding lead over Perry, leading 10-6 overnight, but Perry managed to win five frames in a row to snatch the lead. However, the 2008 runner-up at Sheffield was not going to let the match slip away, and he took the next three frames to win.
“At 11-10, I was looking adversity in the face but I pulled it out of the bag. I felt flat going out in the last session, which doesn't make a lot of sense but being behind kick started me. Wanting to win so badly makes you lose. You get in your own way. It's only when you get older that you realise that,” Carter said.
Murphy, who battled past Ding Junhui 13-10, is next for Carter. Murphy was 5-3, 8-6 and 10-9 behind, but he began to find his form, and he powered in a winning break of 128 to go through.
“I’m very pleased and over the moon to win. There was a time in my career a few seasons ago when I played Ding and I came out on top. That changed and the last few times he's won but here at the biggest tournament I'm glad to have won.
“This is where the rubber hits the road. The eight players that are left are probably the best eight in the game at the minute and I’m very excited to be among those eight. Last time Ali played me here he came out on top so I'll be looking to turn the tables,” Murphy said.
Both quarter-finals begin at 2.30pm today.
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