Ronnie O’Sullivan showed his class on and off the table in his opening Masters match against Ding Junhui on Monday afternoon at Alexandra Palace. The Rocket had led 4-0 in the best-of-11-frames contest but allowed that lead to slip to 4-3 after missing an easy red when he looked to be cruising to a fifth straight frame.
Ding made it count and the 2011 Masters champion even secured just his second ever maximum break at this tournament to pull it back to 4-3. The most successful Asian player in snooker history had Ally Pally absolutely delighted by his eighth career 147 as he sunk to his knees in both relief and joy.
And at the end of the frame, O’Sullivan – who is looking for his first Masters title since 2017 – walked over to classily congratulate Ding. The smiling 48-year-old gave his Chinese opponent a fist bump and was hailed by BBC One presenter Hazel Irvine for his sportsmanship.
Pundit and 1991 world champion John Parrott said of Ding’s maximum: “This is what makes this sport so magnificent. How in anyone’s mind could you see that happening at 4-0 down, no confidence, looked bereft of everything.
“All of a sudden he’s come out, been given that little present and he’s gone and won the last two frames including a maximum. Brilliant.”
And BBC host Irvine then said: “You’ve seen more history here at Alexandra Palace as Ronnie O’Sullivan comes back into the arena. Brilliantly sporting gesture there, a fist bump with Ding Junhui as he went out just to compose himself.”
O’Sullivan returned to the table in style with a 127 break to move 5-3 ahead, refusing to even hole the black. And he clinched a hard-earned victory with a break of 132 to join Jack Lisowski and Shaun Murphy in the quarter-finals.
Seven-time Masters champion O’Sullivan said after the match: “Yeah, unbelievable 147 from Ding. I knew he was going to make it from about the second or third red. His positional player is so good.
“He wasn’t out of position once. What a magnificent player. Great break and I was pleased to get over the line in the end.”
On his century after Ding’s 147, the Rocket added: “I just tried you know, I just tried. My cueing is really not great. I was just trying to manufacture stuff out there. I tried. There’s nothing more you can do is there! I don’t even know what to say to be honest with you.”
Stephen Hendry, the only man with as many Snooker World Championships as Ronnie, said on BBC commentary: “If you wanted evidence of how badly Ronnie wants to win this week, you’ve had it in these last two frames.”
Ken Doherty added, speaking on the punditry panel: “Amazing afternoon of snooker. That was snooker from the gods. The way Ding performed, to come back and to make the maximum. Then for Ronnie to reply the fashion he did – it was just incredible.”
