Tired Rocket launches into his bid for eighth Dafabet Masters title
A TIRED Ronnie O’Sullivan began his bid for an eighth Dafabet Masters title with a comfortable 6-2 victory over former world champion Stuart Bingham.
Although Bingham won the opening frame, O’Sullivan took the next five in succession with the aid of breaks of 59, 96, 134, 111 and 60 at Alexandra Palace.
Bingham stopped the rot with a run of 71 in the seventh frame and looked set to take the next as well, but missed frame ball into the yellow pocket and O’Sullivan cleared up with a break of 66 to force a re-spotted black.
O’Sullivan, who is seeking an eighth Masters title, missed two difficult chances before eventually potting the black to secure a quarter-final with Ryan Day.
“I just tried to be as professional as I can, disciplined and just draw on all your experience to do what you’ve got to do,” O’Sullivan told the BBC. “He [Bingham] looked like he was getting stronger towards the end, I made a few mistakes and the game can punish you sometimes.
“I can play for another 10 years but I get tired now. I’ve got insomnia really, I’ve had it for seven years and every now and again it catches me out and I felt really tired today.
“I wasn’t sure I was going to get through it but I went out there and the adrenaline kicked in. It’s important when you’re tired to feel like you are playing all right because adrenaline can overtake you.”
In the evening match, Ding Junhui dispatched England’s Jack Lisowski 6-1. China’s Ding raced into a 5-0 lead, a break of 123 in the fifth a highlight, before Lisowski pulled one back. But any thoughts of a comeback were extinguished immediately after as Ding secured a quarter-final clash with Belgium’s Luca Brecel, who had knocked out former champ Mark Allen in the first round.