Snooker:Ronnie O'Sullivan's miserable run continued as he crashed out of the China Open at the first-round stage today. For the second ranking tournament in succession, the Rocket fell at the first hurdle to Ryan Day, the Welshman completing a 5-2 success.
Day took the first frame with a break of exactly 100 but O’Sullivan produced a glimpse of his best form with a 123 in frame three to take the lead in the match.
It would prove short-lived, though, as Day levelled with a 78 and took a scrappy fifth frame. He extended his lead with a run of 57 and took an untidy seventh frame to leave world number 10 O’Sullivan still without a win in a ranking event since September’s World Open.
A dejected O’Sullivan said: “My form isn’t great, there’s nothing I can do but keep trying. I can’t put my finger on why but it’s very frustrating and certainly no fun for me.
“I don’t know how much more I can take playing like that. I’ve said I would retire before but haven’t, so I don’t want to look silly, but I can’t continue to keep playing that way. I’m not going to say I’m retiring but you never know, it’s not looking good.”
Day said: “Before I played Ronnie in the Welsh I hadn’t beaten him but that’s twice on the spin now. It’s nice to have beaten him but it’s just the first round and there’s a long way left in the tournament.”
World number four Mark Selby was severely tested by home wildcard Tian Pengfei, who had received a bye to the first round after visa problems prevented his scheduled opponent Jimmy White from competing.
Selby went 2-1 up without finding a great deal of fluency but Tian was looking the smoother break-builder and levelled with a 101. A 55 in frame six left the match all square again at 3-3, but Selby belatedly found two breaks of 56 to take the last two frames.
Robert Milkins awaits Selby after beating Jamie Cope 5-3 and making the tournament’s highest break to date.
An out-of-sorts Cope hung in the game until 3-3 despite failing to surpass his break of 50 in frame three, but Milkins then produced a sparkling 142 total clearance and wrapped up the match with a 56.
John Higgins battled past Nigel Bond 5-3 despite making only one break over 50. Bond led 2-1 after a superb 138 but Higgins hit back with a 76 and it was all square at the mid-session interval.
The world number one moved within one frame of victory with a 43 and appeared to be over the line in the next. Bond, though, got the snooker and free ball he required to put the frame back in the balance — but he could not clear up and Higgins potted the clinching blue and pink.
He will play Ricky Walden tomorrow after the world number 15 came from 4-2 down to beat Martin Gould 5-4, with the players making three half-centuries apiece.
“I felt the conditions were quite tricky but I have to play a lot better if I’m to win the competition,” said Higgins.
“I’m lucky to still be in the tournament and I need to raise my game. But you can’t raise your game when you’re flying home and luckily I have a chance to do so tomorrow.”
Ali Carter hammered Stuart Bingham 5-1 to set up a last-16 clash with Marcus Campbell. Bingham led after a 76 in the opening frame, but that was as good as it got as Carter levelled with the help of an 88.
That standard was not maintained, but Carter produced breaks over 40 in each of the next four frames to ease to victory.
Peter Ebdon produced four half-centuries in a 5-2 win over Gerard Greene. The former world champion led 2-1 after runs of 61 and 54, but Greene levelled with a 65 and the fifth frame was a trademark Ebdon grind.
He kicked on from there, though, and wrapped up victory with breaks of 66 and 54.
He will now face world champion Neil Robertson, whom he beat in last year’s tournament despite the Australian making a 147.
“I played some good safety and it’s nice to get that one out of the way and I’m already looking forward to the next match,” Ebdon said.
“I played Neil out here before and I won 5-1 but he made a maximum. It’s all about peaking at the right time so I’m hoping I’m going in the right direction.”
Rising star Judd Trump enjoyed a 5-3 win over Hong Kong’s Marco Fu in the remaining match of the early session and will meet Mark Davis.