Snooker News

Ronnie O’Sullivan Scrapes Past Hill

Ronnie O’Sullivan won the last two frames as he fought back to beat Darryl Hill in a decider at the German Masters qualifiers.

Ronnie O'Sullivan
O’Sullivan’s 2012 German Masters triumph has been hailed as a turning point in his career – photo courtesy of Monique Limbos

The 41 year-old, who lost to Mark Selby in an entertaining UK Championship final on Sunday before celebrating his birthday the following day, trailed 2-0 and 4-3 but runs of 105, 89, 74 and a 59 in the final frame helped him into the second preliminary stage in Barnsley.

The 2012 German Masters champion will meet Gary Wilson for a guaranteed place in Berlin after his fellow Englishman edged Rod Lawler in a typically late finish on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, there were a few more upsets of sorts on the second day of action at the Metrodome.

Anthony Hamilton continued his superb form this season as he beat another Anthony, Indian Open champion McGill, 5-2.

2006 world champion Graeme Dott lost by the same margin to Thailand’s Akani Songsermsawad while Alan McManus was downed in a decider by Dominic Dale.

In a high-scoring battle between two Europeans, Finland’s Robin Hull got the better of young Belgian Luca Brecel in a close 5-3 affair.

The majority of the marquee names advanced unscathed, though.

Shaun Murphy lost the first frame to Daniel Wells but compiled a brace of centuries as he comfortably overcame the Welshman 5-1.

Kyren Wilson repeated the trick against Xiao Guodong while Barry Hawkins, Michael Holt and Northern Ireland Open champion Mark King progressed too.

Chinese trio Tian Pengfei, Yu Delu and 16 year-old Yan Bingtao moved one step closer to a flight to Germany – the latter set to rekindle a growing rivalry with Murphy in the last 64.

There was very much an international flavour with another pair of Thais through in Thepchaiya Un-Nooh and Boonyarit Kaettikun, while Brazil’s Igor Figueiredo and Alex Borg of Malta ousted Eden Sharav and Sydney Wilson respectively.

Elsewhere, Matthew Stevens, Jack Lisowski, Ben Woollaston, Andrew Higginson and Christopher Keogan enjoyed early victories.

The first round of qualifying concludes on Thursday with Ken Doherty and Fergal O’Brien both in action.

O’Brien faces a particularly stiff test as he comes up against the 2011 winner Mark Williams.

The second round also gets under way later in the day.

Click here to view the draw.

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