Ronnie O’Sullivan has insisted that he doesn’t feel that he is in the best form despite beating Ding Junhui in the Masters on Monday afternoon. The Rocket avoided cruised to a 6-3 win to book his spot in the quarter-finals of the competition at Alexandra Palace, avoiding a scare midway through the match when complacency threatened to derail his chances.
After taking a 4-0 lead in the best-of-11-frames contest, O’Sullivan’s momentum dropped an he threw Ding a lifeline back into the match. The 2011 Masters winner took full advantage, pulling the game back to within touching distance by winning three consecutive frames – which included two maximum breaks.
O’Sullivan soon regained composure to put the game to bed and progress into the quarter-finals. However, the 48-year-old has insisted that he does not feel that he is performing at his best as he looks to win his first Masters title since 2017.
Speaking after the match, he was asked about the century that prevented Ding from gaining further momentum, to which O’Sullivan replied: “I just tried, I just tried. My cueing isn’t great.”
His comments were met with laughter from the crowd, with the host at Alexandra Palace calling out “I’m not sure they agree,” which sparked an even greater reaction. But the support of those in the stands did not alter O’Sullivan’s stance.
He continued: “I’m just trying to manufacture stuff out there. I tried, there’s nothing more you can do. Anyway, I don’t even know what to say to be honest with you.”
