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Updated 24/01/2024 at 00:37 GMT
Ronnie O’Sullivan rounded off a glorious week as he earned his 15th straight competitive win to book his place in the last 64 of the World Open in China with a 5-3 victory over Alfie Burden. The new World Grand Prix champion was given a tough test by Burden, who produced a delightful 104 break to level at 3-3 before the UK and Masters champion claimed the final two frames to progress.
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Ronnie O’Sullivan held off a spirited effort by Alfie Burden to book his spot in the last 64 of the World Open in Yushan with a 5-3 qualifying win that saw the world No. 1 finish with breaks of 83 and 58 to seal the victory.
The world No. 98 watched O’Sullivan open with a 51 break before pinching the second frame on the black, but rallied to restore parity at 2-2 at the mid-session interval with a fine run of 61 in the fourth frame showing his ability to upset the odds.
O’Sullivan – who had kicked off his trainers during the fourth frame due an ongoing foot injury – moved 3-2 clear with a 67 only for Burden to produce the highest break of the match with a superb 104, but it was the 41-time ranking event winner who had the final say by securing the closing two frames.
He advances to the last 64 of the ranking event in Yushan (March 18-24), situated in the Jiangxi Province of China, a competition that will see defending champion Trump and world champion Luca Brcel open their respective campaigns at the finals venue.
The Tour Championship in Manchester (April 1-7) with the top eight on the one-year list is likely to be his final tournament stop ahead of the World Championship in Sheffield (April 20-May 6).
Elsewhere, 2020 world finalist Kyren Wilson produced sparkling breaks of 114, 113 and 121 in a 5-0 whitewash win against six-time world finalist Jimmy White, while Shaun Murphy rolled in 70, 127, 112 and 56 in another one-sided 5-0 drubbing of Mohamed Ibrahim.
Elliot Slessor finished strongly in a 5-2 win over 12-time women’s world champion Reanne Evans with a 128 knock in the fifth frame giving him the platform to claim the final three frames.
But Slessor’s friend and Scottish Open champion Gary Wilson is out after losing 5-4 to Stuart Carrington, who won a tense decider having led 4-1, with 1997 world champion Ken Doherty also falling at the first hurdle in a 5-0 defeat to Sam Craigie.
Masters finalist Ali Carter overcame Ahmed Aly Elsayed 5-1 earlier on Tuesday with Iran’s leading player Hossein Vafaei ending Liam Pullen’s hopes in a 5-2 success.
World Open latest results
Ronnie O’Sullivan 5-3 Alfie BurdenLouis Heathcote 5-0 Oliver Lines Jak Jones 5-3 Ryan ThomersonNoppon Saengkham 5-4 Himanshu Jain Robert Milkins 5-2 Barry PinchesHossein Vafaei 5-2 Liam PullenElliot Slessor 5-2 Reanne Evans Sam Craigie 5-0 Ken DohertyShaun Murphy 5-0 Mohamed IbrahimStuart Carrington 5-4 Gary Wilson Jackson Page 5-3 Liam Graham Lyu Haotian 5-2 Ashley Carty Sean O’Sullivan 5-1 Xiao GuodongSi Jiahui 5-1 Stan MoodyAli Carter 5-1 Ahmed Aly ElsayedKyren Wilson 5-0 Jimmy White Daniel Wells 5-1 Liam HighfieldMichael White 5-2 Haydon Pinhey Barry Hawkins 5-3 Steven Hallworth
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