Ronnie O’Sullivan sets up John Higgins clash – 2011 World Snooker Championship
The Rocket” Ronnie O’Sullivan” has beaten the Magician “Shaun Murphy” by a frame score of 13-10 in the second round of the 2011 World Snooker Champion to set up a potential quarter-final
clash with the world number one, John Higgins. The event is being staged at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield.
This is the first time the thirty-five-year-old, O’Sullivan, has not entered the World Championship as a favourite, as he lost all of his opening round matches since November. However
he has shown a very positive frame of mind at the Crucible and is now making a strong bid for the world championship title.
The overall score-line between O’Sullivan and Murphy was 65 (58)-36, 88-15, 68-51, 30-72, 79 (78)-13, 80 (76)-1, 84 (75)-32, 86 (86)-0, 18-69, 55 (55)-67 (51), 76 (76)-44, 28-90 (55),
95(95)-21, 69 (59)-23, 0-83 (83), 0-68, 64-35, 128 (128)-0, 51-65, 130 (119)-0, 62 (54)-67, 49-62, 71 (71) and 57 (56).
The world number six, Murphy, who was trailing his opponent 6-2 at the end of the opening session, produced high standards of game in the second session to reduce the deficit at 9-7. However
he was not given many chances in the third session, as the former three-time world champion, O’Sullivan, killed the match with dominant breaks of 128 and 119.
O’Sullivan was asked if he is delighted to reach the last-8, he replied by saying, "It's a sad day for me if I start admitting I'm pleased to make the quarter-finals," he said. "I might
as well turn it in. No matter how badly I've played, I've still come to win. Making the quarter-finals,
it's not about that. It's about being the best, being the winner. There's no way I'm coming here to get to quarters."
Ronnie O’Sullivan and John Higgins are set to clash in the quarter-final, which is going to be one of the biggest battles in this tournament. It has all the hallmarks of the potential
classic encounter. Though the Wizard of Wishaw, Higgins, is the favorite for the tournament, both the players have won the title three-times before.
This big match that is going to pull a huge crowd will take place today at the Crucible Theatre.
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