Ronnie O’Sullivan draws again while Ding Junhui gets off the mark
Ronnie O’Sullivan could only draw with Shaun Murphy in the snooker Premier League last night, while Ding Junhui overcame reigning Masters champion Mark Selby to win his first match of the event.
O’Sullivan versus Murphy always had a great ring to it, and the game was worthy of the audience’s ticket price as both players gave them a special treat.
In the build-up to the match, Murphy criticised O’Sullivan for his antics at the recent World Open - where he refused to pot the black for the 147 maximum break. When both players were asked about whether they had read the papers, both jokingly replied that they did have a quick look.
This game also was a repeat of last year’s Premier League final, with Murphy giving O’Sullivan a 7-3 pasting to be crowned champion. O’Sullivan certainly had two good reasons to get one over Murphy.
It looked as though Murphy was going to take the first frame being 52-0 up, but he missed an easy brown, leaving O’Sullivan to pinch it by five points. The current Premier League champion stormed to the second frame, missing out on the £1,000 bonus for a century as he broke down on 90.
O’Sullivan also missed out on a century bonus as he missed a red on a break of 93. The standard of play was exceptionally high, and Murphy levelled the match at 2-2 with a solid break of 71.
O’Sullivan paid the price in the next frame for using the rest while holding it in the air, allowing Murphy to go 3-2 in front and guarantee himself a point. A superb 110 break in the final frame of the evening ensured O’Sullivan would not lose.
“A needle match? You don't play snooker with needle - you just play the balls and the table,” said O’Sullivan in response to Murphy’s comments. “I like playing Shaun and he plays a nice game. I find it harder playing the slower, boring players and then I get the needle because I can't get to the table.
“We all say things. Look at the things I've said in the past, but it's a pleasure to play Shaun. Papers twist and turn things but I take things with a pinch of salt and find it quite funny. Every interview from snooker people is about me.
“Ten years ago it would’ve made me more determined as I was a bit more of a competitive animal but now I’m playing more for enjoyment,” O’Sullivan added.
Murphy was in agreement with O’Sullivan over the comments. “I was pleased to see all the words were spelt correctly,” joked Murphy. “The papers do twist things but I didn’t like what went on at the World Open and was asked my opinion. Last time I checked, it was still ok in this country to voice your opinions.
“I also did say what a great guy Ronnie is and the game is better with him than without him. It was great to play the best player of the game in the last ten years,” he added.
In the first match of the night, UK champion Ding produced a flawless performance to beat Selby 4-2.
Ding was yet to win a game before his showdown with Selby, drawing with Mark Williams and O’Sullivan and losing to Murphy in week one. Against Selby he took the first frame with breaks of 54 and 69, but Selby levelled with a break of 50 after Ding missed several chances when breaking down on 44.
Knowing he should have been 2-0 up, Ding soon edged in front with a break of 78, and kept the run going in the next frame with a break of 69 to get at least a point. However, he made sure he wasn’t going to draw again by knocking in a fantastic 103 to inflict defeat on Selby. With the match out of his hands, Selby was on a maximum in the final frame, but he missed on 97 after leaving himself an awkward black, as he missed out on becoming the first player in the Premier League to make a 147.
Ding though was clinical and worthy of the win, and could even have whitewashed Selby.
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