UK snooker championships round-up
Fans' favourite Ronnie O'Sullivan lost his temper and his title in Telford.
Fans' favourite Ronnie O'Sullivan lost his temper and his title in Telford.
The defending champion looked a troubled man yesterday as he swiped his cue angrily across the table to concede the 12th frame with nine reds still remaining to give Joe Perry a 7-5 advantage.
Even then O'Sullivan's chances could not be dismissed, but the 33-year-old – who had actually started the second session with a 5-3 lead – missed a mid-range red in the 13th and Perry compiled a break of 69 to tighten his grip.
O'Sullivan had another chance to claw a frame back in the 14th but rattled the jaws with a routine black after the positional work had already been done and Perry was able to clear up to take a 9-5 triumph.
"I could see that Ronnie was getting just a little bit anxious and maybe running out of patience a little bit," said Perry after his first win in five world ranking events against O'Sullivan.
"But I still had to be aware that if I did make any unforced errors he can just turn the game around in a matter of minutes.
"I knew when he conceded the 12th frame that he wasn't comfortable out there and it was just a case of me keeping the pressure on.
"I was overjoyed because the balls weren't that pretty and it was no formality that I was going to win the frame at that visit.
"Any gift I am willing to take, especially at this time of year.
"But I didn't come here just to win one match – I came here with high hopes and I will keep those high hopes."
Perry now goes forward to face Hong Kong's Marco Fu in the next round after he beat Welshman Matthew Stevens 9-5.
Elsewhere, a tense match between two former world champions – Scotland's Graeme Dott and Welshman Mark Williams – almost went the distance but Dott's resistance finally ended when he saw the white go into the middle pocket in the 16th frame, giving Williams a 9-7 victory.
"I'll take any win I can get at the moment," said a relieved Williams. "I potted some cracking balls under pressure in the final frame and that's what has been missing in my game.
"I'm not going to jump over the moon and say I'm back to my best or anything like that, but hopefully it's coming slowly."
By SEAN WOZENCROFT
Completed second round results
Joe Perry (Eng) beat Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng) 9-5, Marco Fu (HKg) bt Matthew Stevens (Wal) 9-5, Mark Williams (Wal) bt Graeme Dott (Sco) 9-7, John Higgins (Sco) bt Ding Junhui (Chn) 9-4.
Shaun Murphy (Eng) beat Mark Allen (NIrl) 9-7, Allister Carter (Eng) bt Peter Ebdon (Eng) 9-5, Stephen Lee (Eng) bt Mark King (Eng) 9-5, Stephen Maguire (Sco) bt Neil Robertson (Aus) 9-8.