SELBY STUNS O'SULLIVAN
MARK Selby stunned Ronnie O'Sullivan to reach the semi finals of the world championships with a 13-11 victory over a deflated Rocket.
Resuming at 9-7 the Jester from Leicester settled quickly into his rhthym as he fired in a break of 67 to take the opening frame of the session. But Ronnie isn't one to be intimidated easily as he rolled a break of 45 together with a run of 13 to restore his two frames advantage at 10-8. Selby though wasn't going to go away without a whimper and promptly answered the challenge of the Rocket with a 49 break that ended with a missed red to the centre. As Ronnioe tried to counter he ran out of position. The Rocket , despite leading never really looked comfortable as Selby grew in elf belief. Consequently Ronnie's seemed to drain away with every missed pot, anmd every errant positional shot. His cause certainly wasn't helped when he broke down on 15 in trying to counter Selby's initial effort and even worse- he left Selby a mid length red that the Leicester man pounced upon and made a decisive 33 to cut the deficit to 9-10.
To Ronnie's credit he dredged up a 75 break to edge 11-9 in front after the Leicester man had missed a simple red to the corner. It was probably the worst possible thing that could have happened as Selby roared back with a magical burst of four frames. He hammered in a break of 108 to close to 10-11 with O'Sullivabn offering nothing by way of reply. From then the Leicester man was calling the shots ans Ronnie's body language told the story of a beaten man who didn't know what to do to turn it around.
And forcing the pace and going for reckless shots was certainly not the way to go in frame 22 as it became a catalogue of errors with both men missing three straight pots to the centre pocket. Finally it was Selby who managed to hold his nerve together with a vital 38 break to level the match at 11-11.
Ronnie thgough must only blame himself as he upped the ante against Sdelby, whjo kept to his steady routine. As Selby missed a pink to the centre it seemedf to give the Rocket a chance. To degree Ronnie did answer the challenge, but breaking down on 39 was not enough to put any sizeable pressure on Leicester, rather it only gave Selby a second bite of the cherry - which this time he devoured to the taste of a 46 break to lead 12-11. So to frame 24 and what was to be the final one in a gripping quarter final. Ronnie made the first move with an effort of 36 but missed a red to the centre. Sleby though couldn't take immediate advantage as he missed a long red by a m,ile. A repriever for Ronnie - no chance as he missed a straight red to the centre that was to cost him dear. With one red left on the table Ronnie was also snookered behind the yellow. He escaped but then l;eft the red at Mark's mercy. From there there was to be no way back as Mark slammed in the red, yellow, green and an amazin g brown to seal victory and accept Ronnie's hand in congratualtions. Selby now takes his place in the semi finals where he will face Graeme Dott for a place in the final.
Suzy Jardine - The Crucible
Resuming at 9-7 the Jester from Leicester settled quickly into his rhthym as he fired in a break of 67 to take the opening frame of the session. But Ronnie isn't one to be intimidated easily as he rolled a break of 45 together with a run of 13 to restore his two frames advantage at 10-8. Selby though wasn't going to go away without a whimper and promptly answered the challenge of the Rocket with a 49 break that ended with a missed red to the centre. As Ronnioe tried to counter he ran out of position. The Rocket , despite leading never really looked comfortable as Selby grew in elf belief. Consequently Ronnie's seemed to drain away with every missed pot, anmd every errant positional shot. His cause certainly wasn't helped when he broke down on 15 in trying to counter Selby's initial effort and even worse- he left Selby a mid length red that the Leicester man pounced upon and made a decisive 33 to cut the deficit to 9-10.
To Ronnie's credit he dredged up a 75 break to edge 11-9 in front after the Leicester man had missed a simple red to the corner. It was probably the worst possible thing that could have happened as Selby roared back with a magical burst of four frames. He hammered in a break of 108 to close to 10-11 with O'Sullivabn offering nothing by way of reply. From then the Leicester man was calling the shots ans Ronnie's body language told the story of a beaten man who didn't know what to do to turn it around.
And forcing the pace and going for reckless shots was certainly not the way to go in frame 22 as it became a catalogue of errors with both men missing three straight pots to the centre pocket. Finally it was Selby who managed to hold his nerve together with a vital 38 break to level the match at 11-11.
Ronnie thgough must only blame himself as he upped the ante against Sdelby, whjo kept to his steady routine. As Selby missed a pink to the centre it seemedf to give the Rocket a chance. To degree Ronnie did answer the challenge, but breaking down on 39 was not enough to put any sizeable pressure on Leicester, rather it only gave Selby a second bite of the cherry - which this time he devoured to the taste of a 46 break to lead 12-11. So to frame 24 and what was to be the final one in a gripping quarter final. Ronnie made the first move with an effort of 36 but missed a red to the centre. Sleby though couldn't take immediate advantage as he missed a long red by a m,ile. A repriever for Ronnie - no chance as he missed a straight red to the centre that was to cost him dear. With one red left on the table Ronnie was also snookered behind the yellow. He escaped but then l;eft the red at Mark's mercy. From there there was to be no way back as Mark slammed in the red, yellow, green and an amazin g brown to seal victory and accept Ronnie's hand in congratualtions. Selby now takes his place in the semi finals where he will face Graeme Dott for a place in the final.
Suzy Jardine - The Crucible
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footygirl - Posts: 531
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