SNOOKER!
Ronnie O’Sullivan, he does what he wants.
‘The Rocket’ has secured himself a place in the last 16 of the English Open after coasting to victory over Zhang Yong on Thusrsday afternoon.
O’Sullivan needed just over an hour to register a 4-1 victory in Barnsley, recording consecutive centuries between the second and third frame.
Back-to-back centuries for @ronnieo147 in the #EnglishOpen today 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/5zVOEFR9h2
— Eurosport (@eurosport) October 19, 2017
In the fifth round, Yong squandered a chance at setting up a dramatic comeback and O’Sullivan duly punished him with yet another century.
The match ended in bizarre circumstances as a female fan somehow evaded security and managed to reach the table, where O’Sullivan brilliantly allowed her a shot at potting the last black but the pressure got to her and she missed on two occasions.
What a way to end the tie… 😂@ronnieo147 gets a helping hand as he books his place in the last 16 of the #EnglishOpen pic.twitter.com/KCNGh7z5fw
— Eurosport (@eurosport) October 19, 2017
“I didn’t know what she was doing first. But she said to me I’m just having a jog,” said O’Sullivan, who could potentially meet John Higgins in the next round.
“I said to her ‘well go on then have a jog then’.
“‘And you might as well have a shot while you’re at it’. I really wanted her to pot it.”
Let it never be said that O’Sullivan’s not a showman.
It’s been a strange week, all-in-all, for the 41-year-old as he threatened to pull out of the competition on Tuesday after tournament organisers objected to his choice of footwear.
Looks like I’ll have to pull out of the English open cause someone’s not happy I’m wearing a trainer due to a sprained ankle
— Ronnie O'Sullivan (@ronnieo147) October 17, 2017
O’Sullivan was forced to wear unconventional trainers due to an ankle injury and, fortunately, common sense prevailed when World Snooker acquiesced to allowing the five-time world champion to sport shoes which didn’t quite adhere to the dress code.
“World Snooker has a dress code for all tournaments, but where players are injured they are given the opportunity to demonstrate medical reasons to show why they cannot adhere to certain parts of the dress code,” a statement said.
“Each case is dealt with individually. Ronnie O’Sullivan has been given an exemption to use footwear at the English Open which helps manage the effects of an ankle injury.”
