Snooker news - Ronnie O’Sullivan fends off Luo Honghao fightback amid unintentional foul controversy

Updated 19/10/2018 at 23:21 GMT

Ronnie O’Sullivan held off a spirited fightback from Luo Honghao, winning 5-3 in the English Open quarter-finals. However, the defending champion offered to replay the match after an unintentional foul in frame six went unpunished.

Ronnie O'Sullivan made the 15th 147 of his professional career in Crawley (Tim Goode/PA).

Image credit: PA Sport

Bingham, Davis coast into English Open semi-finals

Five-time world champion O’Sullivan has been in virtuoso form at the K2 Centre this week in Crawley but had to draw on all his experience to overcome 18-year-old Luo.

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O’Sullivan opened with runs of 118 and 90 – passing the opportunity for consecutive centuries after he jawed the yellow – to open up a two-frame advantage.

However, Luo, competing at a first ranking event quarter-final in his nascent career, reeled off the next three frames courtesy of breaks of 90, 67 and a new career highest break of 136 to put himself within touching distance of the semi-finals.

The momentum swung back in O’Sullivan’s favour during frame six, with the Rocket unintentionally fouling on his way to drawing level courtesy of a 73.

The 42-year-old's indiscretion went unpunished as neither the players nor the referee noticed the Essex player's cue brush a red after he had used the rest but the world number three was crestfallen when shown the clip in the studio after the match.

"On no...oh s***! I'll play the match again," said O'Sullivan when he spotted the foul on a replay.

"I didn't even see that in a million years," he added. "Wow, wow, wow! I feel awful after you showed me that.

I wish someone would have said something and stopped the match - that's what they should do.

Completely unaware of the foul, the Rocket put himself within one frame of the semi-final following an 82 break in the seventh, and drew on all his nous to win a re-racked frame eight to make the last four.

O'Sullivan was full of praise for his opponent post-match, revealing that he told Luo he expected him to become world champion one day.

In the evening session's other match, Stephen Maguire ousted Noppon Saengkham 5-3, racking up breaks of 94, 102, 58 and 75 to set up a semi-final against Stuart Bingham.

ENGLISH OPEN RESULTS

Evening session

Stephen Maguire 5 – 3 Noppon Saengkham
Ronnie O'Sullivan 5 – 3 Luo Honghao

Afternoon session

Mark Davis 5 – 1 Ryan Day
Stuart Bingham 5 – 2 Allister Carter

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