Tour Championship LIVE

Goodbye… For now

We’ll love you and leave you for three hours, but that time will fly! The evening session starts at 19:00 GMT so make sure to join us again then for the end to a brilliantly balanced game…

Moment of the match

At the time, it looked like the foul call on Wilson that decided the sixth frame could be fatal. But it actually had the opposite effect, Wilson produced by far his two best breaks of the day to claw his way back into the match and it’s wonderfully tantalising right now!

Frame perfectly poised

We couldn’t be leaving this any better could we? It’s all tied up heading into the evening session, Wilson took a two-frame lead before O’Sullivan won four on the trot and threatened to run away with it. All credit to the Tyneside Terror though, he refocused superbly and brought it back to 4-4.

WILSON 4-4 O’SULLIVAN (84-30)

And Wilson does it! He didn’t always make it easy for himself, taking safe shots early to build momentum that left him up against later on but a thin red as he passed O’Sullivan’s total unlocked the table and from there he never looked back. The crowd can’t help but applaud him, that’s a sensational comeback.

WILSON 3-4 O’SULLIVAN (12-30)

O’Sullivan needed to break up the red cluster and screwed the cue sharply, but was still left with a tough double that he couldn’t sink and Wilson quickly follows up with two red-blue strikes.

WILSON 3-4 O’SULLIVAN (0-1)

The crowd lent their support to Wilson for a frame there after that potential injustice but they’re now firmly back behind O’Sullivan as he gets us underway for the final battle of the session.

The Rocket misses an agonising red and then misses again as it doubles back across the bottom but he makes no mistake a second time after Wilson strikes the middle left jaw.

WILSON 3-4 O’SULLIVAN (83-0)

Wilson looked the model of composure throughout that frame, there were a couple of shots that seemed set to hang on the edge of the pocket but both dropped in and Wilson never looked back for his best break of the day!

WILSON 2-4 O’SULLIVAN (54-0)

Well well well… That’s lit a fire under Wilson and he’s now scored his most points in a frame since the second. However, he’s had to push up the table to reposition, this green pot will be crucial…

WILSON 2-4 O’SULLIVAN (0-0)

The debates continue with O’Sullivan asking whether a replay could be used, but it’s a vociferous reception for Wilson as he steps up to start frame seven.

WILSON 2-4 O’SULLIVAN (40-80)

Wow. Wilson had potted a red in that foul too so the frame turns on such a marginal decision. O’Sullivan easily gets over the line and it’s 4-2 but Wilson MUST get that out of his head now and avoid sinking into a fatal hole before the end of the afternoon session.

WILSON 2-3 O’SULLIVAN (40-63)

That’s a huge call!! The referee adjudges that Wilson fouled on the pink, the Tyneside Terror argues his case but to no avail and O’Sullivan gets six points. It soon goes even worse though, Wilson attempts to safety a red down the table but it kisses the blue and sets up an easy pot…

WILSON 2-3 O’SULLIVAN (40-57)

He squeezes a huge red through on the bottom and the break continues! Wilson is still alive just about, but he’s left the red touching pink.

WILSON 2-3 O’SULLIVAN (1-57)

So you’re saying there’s a chance? O’Sullivan turns the a red into the jaws off the spider and it’s an absolutely vital opportunity for Wilson…

WILSON 2-3 O’SULLIVAN (0-36)

There’s a momentary pause as O’Sullivan calls for the cue ball to be cleaned, but that respite is all-too-brief for Wilson. O’Sullivan cannons a red clear of the before continuing to clear up…

WILSON 2-3 O’SULLIVAN (0-11)

That’s not what he needed. There’s shades of that blue nick in the fourth frame as this time Wilson misses the white. O’Sullivan plays a long safety to keep the pressure on, Wilson takes over back in the baulk. And when it rains it pours, he almost doubled a red back across the bottom and into the right but instead it hangs on the jaws and Ronnie is back at the table.

WILSON 2-3 O’SULLIVAN (0-0)

We’re into the sixth, Wilson played aggressively in the first two frames but was still accurate, he’s just lost that more recently and the Rocket isn’t making the same mistakes either. It’s now 309-19 over the last three frames and this one starts with a safety battle.

WILSON 2-3 O’SULLIVAN (18-110)

And THAT’S why he was frustrated. The Tyneside Terror can only look on pensively, as O’Sullivan calmly clears up the table. It looked like he might’ve got into trouble at the halfway stage as he couldn’t screw the cue back enough for a shot on the pink, but cut clear dismissively and proceeded to work in and out of the baulk to round out his second century.

WILSON 2-2 O’SULLIVAN (18-0)

It was a nervy start but Wilson gets the first points on the board with a straight red and pink. He was building the the break so nicely but bridging over a red, he turns the black into the jaws and bangs his cue one… two… three… FOUR times into the ground in frustration!

BACK UNDERWAY

Wilson gets us started, there’s four more frames before we take our interlude and come back at 19:00 GMT.

2-2 AT THE QUARTER MARK

The first two frames were absolute slugfests that Wilson claimed 133-92 overall but the Rocket shifted up the gears to bring it back level at a 199-1 aggregate. The break’s coming at the right time for the Tyneside Terror and he has largely taken his opportunities hence the 2-2 score.

Mark Selby’s just cleared up ITV’s Reverse Colour Challenge, he got it in 33 seconds which while commendable, isn’t even enough for the top three – which includes Wilson.

WILSON 2-2 O’SULLIVAN (1-97)

And just like that we’re level again. O’Sullivan makes swift work of the red cluster before cannoning the final one up the table to continue his break from mid-range and is only prevented from clearing up by his yellow bouncing out of the jaws top-left.

WILSON 2-1 O’SULLIVAN (1-53)

What a costly error that is. We knew O’Sullivan would find his feet eventually but Wilson didn’t need to help him quite so much. O’Sullivan gives himself breathing space on the baulk before turning back down the table and heading for 2-2… Or so it seemed! He powers the brown into the jaws of the top right, Wilson can’t take advantage though missing his own shot on a red corner.

WILSON 2-1 O’SULLIVAN (1-5)

The second frame last 27 minutes, the third barely didn’t even reach double figures. What will we get this time? Wilson will get the opening salvo and just be pleased to return to the table, cutting a red to get on the board before scarping with a well-hit safety.

But he then skims the blue to give O’Sullivan back the table with a red on. That hard-built two-frame lead could vanish in the blink of an eye here…

WILSON 2-1 O’SULLIVAN (0-102)

The crowd are on their feet and for good reason, this is what they came so see! O’Sullivan had housework to do early, freeing up the black spot with a series of cannons and from there it’s just glorious, he knocks in six pinks including a wondrous thin, two blues and six blacks to rack up the first century of the day!

WILSON 2-0 O’SULLIVAN (0-1)

The delivery of the Wilson’s cue left an awful lot to be desired, it was tight whether he could get through but he convinced himself he could… And he couldn’t allowing O’Sullivan to break into the lead.

WILSON 2-0 O’SULLIVAN (0-0)

The F1’s going on in Japan this weekend but we’ve just had our own pit stop of sorts! A pocket had dropped on the table but they’re able to fix it within a commercial break so we’re immediately back to business in the third frame.

WILSON 2-0 O’SULLIVAN (62-44)

And he does! It’s a two-frame lead but that means there’s still 17 to go and this match is far from over…

WILSON 1-0 O’SULLIVAN (44-44)

Wilson applies way too much mustard to a double and it nudges the black in that had been hanging on the bottom-left. But somehow Wilson then banks the white in himself! It’s back-to-back fouls that leave Wilson with the opportunity to claim a frame that’s been far from perfect.

WILSON 1-0 O’SULLIVAN (40-38)

It’s a fascinating safety battle to decide what’s been a somewhat scrappy frame. Wilson almost banks a red in to start the break but instead pots the black and O’Sullivan takes the lead… Until offering the Tyneside Terror a red he can’t refuse straight after.

WILSON 1-0 O’SULLIVAN (33-33)

WILSON 1-0 O’SULLIVAN (32-26)

The initial table didn’t look up to much with the blue, pink and black out of position. But O’Sullivan’s patient, using the baulk colours as a stepping stone before oh-so-nearly edging the red onto the black spot to ease congestion at the bottom.

He can never truly break out but another expertly thin red lets him add ten more to his break and leave an uncomfortable safety.

WILSON 1-0 O’SULLIVAN (32-0)

It’s finer margins that Wilson’s miss but the Rocket has still let an opportunity go begging. With the three high-value balls out of position he needed to pull the white back to the bottom of the table and did so – but missed potting red in the process and Wilson needs no second invitation.

He doesn’t stay too long at the party though, going red-green but leaving his second red too thick.

WILSON 1-0 O’SULLIVAN (28-0)

A good start and a disappointing end. Wilson mixed it up a bit more favouring the blue and spent a long time sizing up how to cannon the six-red triangle that hadn’t moved from the break shot.

His attempt misses by a mile though and he somewhat rushes the safety to end the break.

WILSON 1-0 O’SULLIVAN (1-0)

Wilson was oh-so-close to opening his account in the second frame, but his mid-range shot grazed the near jaw of the pocket. O’Sullivan can’t capitalise, firing his attempt just wide and we’re back to Wilson working the pink-red combo.

WILSON 1-0 O’SULLIVAN (71-48)

And Wilson sees it out. O’Sullivan managed to snooker him once but there was plenty of baize to play with on a long pink and Wilson navigates it, before returning the favour and the Rocket pockets the white to concede the frame. 1-0!

WILSON 0-0 O’SULLIVAN (67-48)

It’s that dastardly pink again! A superb recovery from Wilson saw him double out of trouble needing to work up the table and he thins the yellow before speeding through the green, brown and blue. He jaws the pink top-right though so O’Sullivan returns needing one snooker.

WILSON 0-0 O’SULLIVAN (29-48)

O’Sullivan was streaking through this first frame with ease, hanging on the bottom of the table before screwing the white back into a red cluster and dealing with it masterfully, effortlessly. However, he also misses the pink on a corner jaw throwing Wilson a lifeline.

WILSON 0-0 O’SULLIVAN (29-0)

It was looking like a good nerve-settler for the underdog, clocking four red-pink combos but he thins the pink too much looking to complete his fifth and O’Sullivan takes over an enticing table.

WILSON 0-0 O’SULLIVAN (1-0)

Both players are denied by the jaws (middle-right for Wilson, bottom-left for O’Sullivan) before the Tyneside Terror finally gets on the scoreboad.

WILSON 0-0 O’SULLIVAN (0-0)

It’s a cagey start, Wilson plays the first shot and O’Sullivan simply returns the ball to the top of the table. The Rocket displaces the yellow has he breaks out the clustered reds but we’re still scoreless as Wilson takes over for his third go.

The players are out!

Ronnie is rocking a similar beige-and-black outfit to last time while the Tyneside Terror is all business from the front, but a very snazzy design on his back.

Who will prevail?

It’s two mouthwatering matchups coming up, and a reminder that this is just the starter with the World Championship coming up very soon. Ronnie O’Sullivan has already confirmed himself as the world number one heading the Crucible though, after dismantling Ali Carter in the quarter-final.

Tour Championship Staying in Manchester

We’ve not even finished this year yet, but we already know that the Tour Championship will be returning to Manchester next year! Tickets go on sale on Monday (April 8th), and we’re been treated to some advertisment between then and now. WST’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Tom Rowell said:

We were expecting a great week at Manchester Central and it has exceeded all expectations.”The feedback from players and fans has been outstanding, the arena has been packed for most of the week and we’re looking forward to a great final weekend.

“This is part of our strategy to bring the World Snooker Tour to high quality venues across the UK, particularly for our biggest events like the Tour Championship. The atmosphere inside the arena has been superb, and spectators have also enjoyed the new activations in Fanzone.”

Hello and Welcome!

Good afternoon and thanks for joining us for today’s semi-final action in the Tour Championship! First up we’ve got a Best of 19 matchup between Ronnie O’Sullivan and Gary Wilson, the first 8 frames begin in 15 minutes, then we’ll it pick up again this evening at 19:00 GMT! Oh and did we mention the Mark-off tomorrow, Williams v Allen at the same times?

O’Sullivan on ‘driving himself insane’ in bid to find form

Ronnie O’Sullivan produced a cue ball clinic in a 10-2 dismissal of old foe Ali Carter in the quarter-finals of the Tour Championship before a packed Manchester Central audience on Wednesday.

But he revealed how hard it has been to “find some form” this campaign.

“It’s been a hard year. I’ve drove myself insane really trying to find some form, but I just have to accept it,” said the 41-time ranking event winner, who faces Gary Wilson in Friday’s first semi-final at the prestigious 12-man event.

“I have to accept how I play. That’s life. You can’t be perfect all the time. Trying to be perfect all the time is not ideal, so I just have to get my head around it.

“That’s the only option I have left. I’ve driven myself mad for the past two years, and I’ve not enjoyed any of it.”

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