Saudi Arabia Masters recap – O’Sullivan makes winning start in quest for £500,000 jackpot
Thanks for joining us
We will be back at 12pm tomorrow when the last 16 begins with Judd Trump up against close friend Jack Lisowski in a fascinating best-of-11 frame battle. O’Sullivan returns to meet Zhang Anda at 6pm in the evening. Latest scores and results can be found here
Around the tables
Tom Ford 1-4 Si JiahuiLuca Brecel 1-3 Pang JunxuDing Junhui 2-2 Stuart BinghamJohn Higgins 1-4 Jimmy RobertsonKyren Wilson 4-2 Liu HongyuRonnie O’Sullivan 5-1 Lei PeifanMark Williams 3-2 Thepchaiya Un-NoohZhang Anda 5-0 Ben WoollastonO’Sullivan 4-1 Lei (131-0)
A superb clearance of 131 from Ronnie, who turns on the style to advance to the last 16. Brilliant performance from O’Sullivan.
‘O’Sullivan’s repertoire never gets stale!’ – Rocket lights up Saudi Masters with ‘magic’ century
O’Sullivan 4-1 Lei (68-0)
Well, this match is soon to be a historical fact. An excellent performance really from the world No. 4. He will be facing Zhang Anda, who has just produced four century breaks to whitewash Ben Woollaston 5-0.
O’Sullivan 4-1 Lei (46-0)
Stunning recovery pot by Ronnie as he rolls in red to green pocket. Right down the table after reds never opened too well. This looks like game, set and match for the snooker GOAT.
O’Sullivan 4-1 Lei (18-0)
O’Sullivan looking to get this match wrapped up here and now. Doesn’t want to be unduly detained when he has played so well this evening.
O’Sullivan 4-0 Lei (5-113)
A lovely little cameo clearance of 63 from Lei, his highest of the night. Ronnie with a 4-1 lead now.
O’Sullivan 4-0 Lei (5-80)
At least young Lei is going to avoid the whitewash this evening. Is the comeback on? Well, never say never in this game.
O’Sullivan 4-0 Lei (5-50)
Lei inching towards this fifth frame. O’Sullivan just failing to cash in with a few chances. Lei then misses another red that should be dropping. But a missed black by Ronnie is surely going to cost him the frame. Easy finish for Lei.
O’Sullivan 4-0 Lei (0-34)
Moving along nicely here Lei. 27 and counting. Nice little shot on the black to spin into the pack of reds. Making decent progress here as a few more balls are opened up. But he then misses a blind cutback on a red as the break ends on 34. Story of his night really. Ronnie back at the table.
O’Sullivan 4-0 Lei (0-13)
Boys back on the baize. Lei first to the punch in the fifth frame of the evening. Would dearly love to stave off a whitewash. And has chance to build lead here.
Around the tables
Tom Ford 1-2 Si JiahuiLuca Brecel 1-0 Pang JunxuDing Junhui 2-1 Stuart BinghamJohn Higgins 0-3 Jimmy RobertsonKyren Wilson 2-1 Liu HongyuRonnie O’Sullivan 4-0 Lei PeifanMark Williams 2-1 Thepchaiya Un-NoohZhang Anda 3-0 Ben WoollastonO’Sullivan 3-0 Lei (93-0)
It is all heading the way of the snooker GOAT. No ton, but 93 is just the job for the 41-time ranking event winner. He leads 4-0 at the mid-session interval. One more frame, and he will be through to the last 16.
O’Sullivan 3-0 Lei (62-0)
If you don’t score against O’Sullivan, you end up playing the role of spectator. And that is what is happening here for Lei. Could be another century on the go.
O’Sullivan 3-0 Lei (44-0)
Ronnie with another stunning long red straight off the bat at the outset of the fourth frame. Flew into a top pocket. Great long red. He then keeps the break going with another fabulous shot to the yellow bag. Looks like 4-0 incoming.
Around the tables
Tom Ford 0-0 Si JiahuiLuca Brecel 1-1 Pang JunxuDing Junhui 1-1 Stuart BinghamJohn Higgins 0-2 Jimmy RobertsonKyren Wilson 1-1 Liu HongyuRonnie O’Sullivan 3-0 Lei PeifanMark Williams 1-1 Thepchaiya Un-NoohZhang Anda 2-0 Ben WoollastonO’Sullivan 2-0 Lei (93-27)
59, 103 and 61 sees Ronnie surge 3-0 ahead in the race to five. Crowd revelling in their first glimpse of the snooker GOAT.
O’Sullivan 2-0 Lei (75-27)
A lead of 34 points for O’Sullivan with two reds remaining on the table. Lei not really threatening to compile a frame-winning clearance as Ronnie drops in a lovely long red before seeing off red and blue. Heading 3-0 up in just under an hour.
O’Sullivan 2-0 Lei (61-19)
Ronnie sees white bury itself in the green pocket after trying to lay a telling snooker before Lei responds with a classy long red. O’Sullivan escapes from a snooker seconds later. Three reds left on the table.
O’Sullivan 2-0 Lei (61-9)
O’Sullivan throwing in serious errors using his left hand playing safe. But Lei can’t take advantage as a red using rest fails to drop.
O’Sullivan 2-0 Lei (61-3)
This frame looks to be heading in one direction, and Lei is forced to sit and suffer. Winner of this match will face Zhang Anda or Ben Woollaston in the last 16 on Wednesday evening. 61 from O’Sullivan before he is forced to run safe. Lei responds with a fine opening red. Chance then to launch the counter attack.
O’Sullivan 2-0 Lei (32-0)
O’Sullivan striding around the table with a real purpose. Enjoying his night out so far. Very sharp among the balls at close range.
O’Sullivan 2-0 Lei (7-0)
Another blunder by O’Sullivan as he plays a left-handed shot and sticks a red over top left-hand pocket. But Lei again misses the long red over the bag. That is a basic miss. O’Sullivan back at the baize.
O’Sullivan 1-0 Lei (104-27)
Lei probably feared the worst with that missed red, and so it proves as a superb clearance of 103 sees him double his early advantage. Looks right in the groove in Riyadh.
O’Sullivan 1-0 Lei (64-27)
Chance of a century in the second frame in progress. O’Sullivan looks like he is at one with the table in putting balls away with so much ease.
O’Sullivan 1-0 Lei (48-27)
Huge safety blunder by Ronnie in leaving a red over a top pocket, but Lei butchers his attempt at the long red, and suddenly O’Sullivan is presented with chance to regain ground in this frame. Bad miss by Lei. So many reds left in the open. Suddenly O’Sullivan on the march as he speeds to 48.
Around the tables
Shaun Murphy 5-2 Yuan SijunMark Selby 3-5 Neil RobertsonMark Allen 1-5 Xiao GuodongBarry Hawkins 1-5 Scott DonaldsonJak Jones 3-5 Jack LisowskiJudd Trump 5-4 Wu YizeGary Wilson 5-2 David GilbertAli Carter 3-5 Elliot SlessorTom Ford 0-0 Si JiahuiLuca Brecel 1-0 Pang JunxuDing Junhui 0-0 Stuart BinghamJohn Higgins 0-0 Jimmy RobertsonKyren Wilson 0-0 Liu HongyuRonnie O’Sullivan 1-0 Lei PeifanMark Williams 0-0 Thepchaiya Un-NoohZhang Anda 0-0 Ben WoollastonO’Sullivan 1-0 Lei (1-27)
O’Sullivan with a loose safety shot after sliding in a superb long red using his left hand. Chance then for Lei to make some progress in this second frame.
O’Sullivan 0-0 Lei (80-0)
Another 21 points added to the total, and that will be your lot for the first frame. Ronnie not messing about. This is a serious business for him in Saudi Arabia.
O’Sullivan 0-0 Lei (76-0)
Lei goes for a long red. Doesn’t drop, and he sticks up the frame surely for Ronnie, who spent three hours on the practice table yesterday. Looks like 1-0 here.
O’Sullivan 0-0 Lei (59-0)
A super break of 59 in little or no time. Goes for a double on a red to keep break going, but just off the angle. No damage done after pack failed to open. Pressure on Lei to find his feet early on. First player to five frames progresses.
O’Sullivan 0-0 Lei (28-0)
First chance falls to Lei after a Ronnie safety error, but not taken and the Rocket rolls in a nice opening red to left centre. Chance to get hand on baize. Wastes little time in getting to work in these matches.
O’Sullivan 0-0 Lei (0-0)
Welcome back to the last-32 clash between O’Sullivan and 21-year-old Lei, the 101st seed. These two men getting a warm reception from the big crowd on the showpiece table. Riyadh expects. Or something like that. O’Sullivan won their only previous meeting, 4-2 at the Northern Ireland Open five years ago.
That’s us done for the afternoon
Join us again at 6pm BST for Ronnie O’Sullivan v Lei Peifan.
Around the tables
Jak Jones 2-4 Jack Lisowski
Mark Selby 3-4 Neil Robertson
Judd Trump beats Wu Yize 5-4!
A total one-off of a genius. He meets Jak Jones or Jack Lisowski next.
Trump 4-4 Yize (77-0)
Taking care to pot the black, Judd lands on nowt – for all the difference it makes. Wu thinks he’s left everything safe, but a glorious red caressed from middle to left corner pretty much secures the match, and this is absurd behaviour. Wu played well to make 4-0, but the difference in how Judd has played, oof madone. It’s a privilege to be living in his time.
Trump 4-4 Yize (38-0)
It’s Judd in first but he soon runs out of position; no matter. A great red to right corner yields nothing more, but he quickly does the same again and this looks ominous for Wu – there are a few free reds, but as he removes them he liberates others, and this is superb stuff. Judd is too good to be kept quiet for the amount of time it takes to beat him over any distance, and his ability to fight is as legendary as his ability to pot.
Around the tables
Mark Allen 1-5 Xiao Guodong
Ali Carter 3-5 Elliot Slessor
Jak Jones 2-4 Jack Lisowski
Mark Selby 3-3 Neil Robertson
Trump 4-4 Yize
Eighty-nine and the frame for Judd. It’s a while since Wu did anything of note, and the interval might just’ve done for him because had they plated on I’m sure he’d have done the necessary by now.
Trump 3-4 Yize (73-0)
Slowly and carefully – by his standards – Judd builds a potentially definitive lead, slamming pink to middle, breaking pack off the side rail with ridiculous swerve, and this is going to be 4-4. Judd Trump is good at snooker.
Trump 3-4 Yize (25-0)
Wu, put in a tight spot, leaves a ball to right-middle; Judd can’t drain it, but nor can he tidy it up. His level has dropped as Judd’s has risen and now, starter there to left corner, is a chance for the Ace to force a decider.
Around the tables
Mark Allen 1-4 Xiao Guodong
Ali Carter 3-4 Elliot Slessor
Jak Jones 2-3 Jack Lisowski
Shaun Murphy 5-2 Yuan Sijun
Mark Selby 3-3 Neil Robertson
Trump 3-4 Yize
Given all the naughty snooker pyrotechnics, we sometimes forget that Judd Trump is one of the great competitors. Wu would’ve loved a 4-3 lead at the start, but 4-3 fro 4-0 will have him feeling very differetly about life.
Trump 2-4 Yize (62-0)
He cannot. Judd snks the next red and he’s coming.
Trump 2-4 Yize (61-0)
Judd overcuts a red to right-centre, the lead 61 with 75 left. The table, though, is not an easy one, so Wu will need to do something significant to save it.
Trump 2-4 Yize (39-0)
There’s no one better at winning the short-sprint matches than Judd and as the points accumulate, Wu will be starting to wonder.
Trump 2-4 Yize (7-0)
Both men miss potential starters then, left in a tight spot, Wu catches his selected red too thinly, stays up the business end, and leaves Judd plenty at which to go.
Around the tables
Mark Allen 1-3 Xiao Guodong
Ali Carter 2-4 Elliot Slessor
Barry Hawkins 1-5 Scott Donaldson
Jak Jones 1-3 Jack Lisowski
Shaun Murphy 4-2 Yuan Sijun
Mark Selby 1-3 Neil Robertson
Gary Wilson 5-2 Dave Gilbert
Trump 2-4 Yize
Judd closes the gap and Wu will be feeling warm breath on cold neck. But he’s still in charge of this and I doubt he’ll be fazed – he won’t have expcted to beat the great Judd Trump 5-0, so.
Trump 1-4 Yize (58-11)
Judd secures the frame and looks much better than he did in the first mini-sesh – it’s been a naughty run, has this. But Wu is still playing nicely, so still favourite to take the one frame he needs for victory at some point.
Trump 1-4 Yize (17-11)
Forced to try a double, Wu can’t get it down, meaning Judd is back at the table potting balls.
Trump 1-4 Yize (12-4)
Excellent starter from Judd but whern he sinks a nasty cut-back black, is he on a red? He’s into the pack but not with enough pace, meaning he’s to jab down on one … and he sticks it into the knuckle. So Wu gets going and the way the balls are, especially after he bins yellow to middle, he can rack up a decent lead – at the very least.
Around the tables
Mark Allen 1-3 Xiao Guodong
Ali Carter 0-4 Elliot Slessor
Barry Hawkins 0-4 Scott Donaldson
Jak Jones 1-3 Jack Lisowski
Shaun Murphy 3-1 Yuan Sijun
Mark Selby 1-3 Neil Robertson
Gary Wilson 3-2 Dave Gilbert
Trump 1-4 Yize
It’s dicey and might’ve gone the other way,, but Judd gets there in the end; he’s still in the competition.
Trump 0-4 Yize (56-24)
Eeesh, Wu has a chance to end things, a tricky red to right corner … and he gets so, so close. But so, so close isn’t what beats the genius Judd Trump, and he’ll now reduce the deficit.
Trump 0-4 Yize (56-24)
There are two reds stuck together on the top rail; if Wu can develop them, he’ll win f&m at this visit. But a poor shot before he gets the chance means he has to play safe, and the chase for the pair is on.
Trump 0-4 Yize (56-0)
Nope, cueing across the table he wobbles one in the jaws of right corner and sits down 56 points to the good but with 75 left on the table.
Trump 0-4 Yize (36-0)
No doubt following some stern words from his brother, Judd is quickly in in frame five and, with the black down in baulk, he builds with blues then frees the pink. The reds aren’t easy, but he should be able to bin enough to get over the line here and avert the whitewash.
We go again
Around the tables
Mark Allen 1-2 Xiao Guodong
Ali Carter 0-4 Elliot Slessor
Barry Hawkins 0-4 Scott Donaldson
Jak Jones 1-3 Jack Lisowski
Shaun Murphy 3-1 Yuan Sijun
Mark Selby 1-3 Neil Robertson
Gary Wilson 2-2 Dave Gilbert
Trump 0-4 Yize
Wu does the necessary and poor as Judd has been, he’s played very nicely and at 20, is a very serious talent. He needs one frame asfter the mid-sesh to move on; Judd needs to to find himself.
Trump 0-3 Yize (37-52)
I can’t remember the last time I saw Judd play this badly – and what’s odd is he arrived at this competition in beautiful nick. Wu, though, is also feeling good, and his clever break-building soon means he’s at the table with every ball easily accessible. This is going to be 4-0 and a mini-sesh whitewash!
Trump 0-3 Yize (37-15)
Judd just cannot get going – he’s having an absolute shocker. He misses a red to right corner, allowing Wu one to left-middle, and this could well cost him the frame! What on earth is happening?!
Trump 0-3 Yize (32-8)
Wu jawses a long red and almost pots it in the opposite bag, allowing Judd a decent go. But somehow, he decides to ease in a brown with no real thought as to what might happen with the white such that when he contrives to miss, he leaves a ncie starter. So Wu drains it, goes into the pack off the black, and the split is OK, provided he can sink a horrible one to middle … which he can’t. Another chance for Judd!
Around the tables
Mark Allen 1-2 Xiao Guodong
Ali Carter 0-3 Elliot Slessor
Barry Hawkins 0-2 Scott Donaldson
Jak Jones 0-2 Jack Lisowski
Shaun Murphy 2-1 Yuan Sijun
Mark Selby 1-1 Neil Robertson
Gary Wilson 1-2 Dave Gilbert
Trump 0-3 Yize
Wow. The world number one just can’t get himself going – we’ve seen some great single-ball potting but no decent break, and if he isn’t very careful he’ll soon be off hame.
Trump 0-2 Yize (32-61)
Just when Wu looks set to go three ahead, he leaves a red to the yellow and Judd sinks a beauty … only to botch a black off its spot! Tat is a shocking miss! Wu is indeed about to lead by three, and if The Ace doesn’t win the last frame before the interval, he’ll surely be done for!
Trump 0-2 Yize
My system crashes, apologies. But Wu finishes off frame two and Judd needs to get himself going.
Trump 0-1 Yize (15-38)
Wu runs out of position so plays safe, but a flick off the pink allows Judd a chance. While he accumulates, I guess, crass though it is, I should note just how much prize money is on offer this week:
Trump 0-1 Yize (0-32)
Lovely opener from Wu, slotted off the bottom cushion into left corner, and he fancies this, you can tell – no wonder, he’s hitting it lovely.
Around the tables
Mark Allen 0-1 Xiao Guodong
Ali Carter 0-1 Elliot Slessor
Barry Hawkins 0-0 Scott Donaldson
Jak Jones 0-1 Jack Lisowski
Shaun Murphy 1-0 Yuan Sijun
Mark Selby 0-1 Neil Robertson
Gary Wilson 1-0 Dave Gilbert
Trump 0-1 Yize
Trump 0-0 Yize (18-59)
Wu clips a fine red into the yellow bag so Judd needs two snookers.
Trump 0-0 Yize (18-50)
Goodness me, Wu misses a simple penultiate red to the green and a frame that looked over remains alive!
Trump 0-0 Yize (18-37)
Or not. He taps in the red left over the bag but can’t get on a colour, missing contact on the blue and handing Wu an opportunity to score – he narrows the gap but can’t manage anything telling. No matter: he soon gets another go and this is a chance to go in front.
Trump 0-0 Yize (17-5)
But Judd misses a blue, offering Wu a starter to middle which he accepts gratefully. He beat Stephen Maguire 5-4 last evening, but he can’t sink a cut-back red and that’s going to cost him.
Trump 0-0 Yize (16-0)
Ahahahaha! Judd’s first shot in the competition is a beautiful long red off Wu’s break. And after a loose blue, he sends another banger into the yellow bag, bridging awkwardly over the pack – he’s surely the greatest recovery-potter we’ve ever seen. In comms, Phil Yates informs us that over best of 11, Judd’s unbeaten in 28 matches since December 2022 – that is ridiculous – and he’s straight to work here as you’d expect, given he’s one title and one final from two competitions so far this season.
Our boyz baize
We begin our day with a genius
First on is Judd Trump, who faces Wu Yize – it’s the first to five, and this should be a decent contest.
Hello there
And welcome to the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters 2024 – day four!
Stream the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters 2024 and other top snooker action live on discovery+
