Shanghai Masters
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Shanghai
Ronnie O’Sullivan made two centuries on his way to completing an impressive 6-2 win over 2015 world champion Stuart Bingham in the Shanghai Masters quarter-finals.
The five-times world champion played some of his very best snooker as he reproduced the level of form that saw him enjoy a 6-3 win over Australia’s leading player Neil Robertson in the second round on Wednesday.
O’Sullivan lost a scrappy first frame he should have won on the black to Bingham before breaks of 50, 93 and 111 saw him establish a 4-1 lead.
Bingham made an imperious knock of 134 to close to 4-2 behind, but O’Sullivan then produced a marvellous effort of 140 to tie Bingham’s highest break total so far at the 24-man invitational event.
It is O’Sullivan’s 950th career century since he turned professional in 1992, and comes at his first tournament of the new campaign following his last-16 loss to Ali Carter at the World Championship in April.
The Chigwell player promptly finished with a classy 72 to maintain his swift progress at a tournament that he is bidding to defend carrying a £200,000 winner’s cheque from a £725,000 prize fund.
O’Sullivan will face Masters finalist Kyren Wilson or Ryan Day in the first semi-final on Friday.
The highlight of Thursday’s evening session in Shanghai sees world number one Mark Selbymeet Ding Junhui in the bottom half of the quarter-final draw with world champion Mark Williams facing Barry Hawkins in a repeat of their Crucible semi-final in April that Williams edged 17-15.
