European Masters 2022 as it happened – Ronnie O'Sullivan sizzles in victory against Tom Ford, Graeme Dott wins

ByDesmond Kane

Updated 25/02/2022 at 22:23 GMT

It's quarter-finals day of the European Masters. Ronnie O'Sullivan hit two centuries in a 5-1 win over Tom Ford in the evening session in Milton Keynes after 2006 world champion Graeme Dott completed a 5-4 victory against Ryan Day earlier on Friday. Watch the European Masters and other top snooker live on Eurosport and discovery+.

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We will be back at 12:45pm on Saturday with Graeme Dott against Fan Zhengyi in the first semi-final. O'Sullivan meets Liang or McGill at 7pm on Saturday evening. Should be a fascinating penultimate day's play at the European Masters.

FULL EUROPEAN MASTERS RESULTS

2022 European Masters quarter-final results

Graeme Dott 5-4 Ryan Day
Fan Zhengyi 5-3 David Gilbert
Ronnie O'Sullivan 5-1 Tom Ford
Liang Wenbo 3-3 Anthony McGill

O'Sullivan 5-1 Ford

A closing break of 109 from O'Sullivan. He runs out a 5-1 winner against Ford before giving the crowd a quick salute after a glorious night's work. He will face Liang Wenbo or Anthony McGill in the semi-finals on Saturday evening. Liang and McGill are locked at 3-3. 136, 90, 74 and 109 from O'Sullivan. Simply too good.

O'Sullivan 4-1 Ford (107-0)

This is vintage stuff from O'Sullivan. Looks ideally placed to challenge for the title this weekend.

O'Sullivan 4-1 Ford (61-0)

This could be the winning thrust from O'Sullivan, who splatters open the pack of reds via the black. Lovely red drops into the green pocket and the finishing line is in sight.

O'Sullivan 4-1 Ford (29-0)

O'Sullivan again making the early running in this sixth frame as Ford comes up with a safety error at the wrong time. The Essex player picks out red to middle as he tries to settle into what could be a match-winning visit to the table.

O'Sullivan 4-0 Ford (45-56)

A timely steal from Ford as he clears to the pink to ensure he puts a frame on the board. O'Sullivan leads 4-1.

O'Sullivan 4-0 Ford (45-35)

The Rocket attempts a double on the penultimate red, but just fails to drop. Ford responds with an exceptional long red. Can he claim this frame from nowhere? Chance is there.

O'Sullivan 4-0 Ford (31-21)

All a bit scrappy this frame with four reds left up. Both men missing chances at the table, but there seems to be an air of resignation adorning the cue of Tom Ford at the Marshall Arena.

O'Sullivan 4-0 Ford (18-8)

O'Sullivan finally misses a relatively straightforward ball as a red fails to drop. Not been many of them tonight. A reprieve for Ford.

O'Sullivan 4-0 Ford (10-0)

Early bout of safety in the fifth frame as Ford bids to stave off a whitewash. One red over a pocket so has to be careful. O'Sullivan fails to hole the red with a swerve shot, but Ford can't slot a tough red with white on side cushion seconds later. Chance for O'Sullivan to get this match wrapped up.

Liang 1-2 McGill

The Scotsman McGill rolled in 60 and 71 for a 2-0 lead before former UK finalist Liang Wenbo responded with a 61 in the third frame.

O'Sullivan 4-0 Ford (0-0)

136, 90 and 74 for O'Sullivan in first four frames. Playing at peak levels out there.

O'Sullivan 3-0 Ford (74-72)

A quite majestic clearance of 74 from O'Sullivan to lead 4-0. Brown to blue was key, but so was pot on blue as he drops it in almost delightfully down the table. In goes pink and black. And they head for the mid-session interval.

O'Sullivan 3-0 Ford (56-72)

Ford looks utterly crestfallen. Staring 4-0 deficit in the face here...

O'Sullivan 3-0 Ford (39-72)

Ford reaches 72 before running out of position. Tries to hole long-range red to leave O'Sullivan needing a snooker, but can't find the frame ball red. This could be the mother of all counter attacks from the Rocket.

O'Sullivan 3-0 Ford (0-33)

Fantastic pot on red by Ford to gain access to the table. Plenty of reds to develop a decent lead at the business end of the table. Looks to be in stroke too.

O'Sullivan 3-0 Ford (0-0)

Ford sizing up a plant then a safety shot. Butchers the delivery and is fortunate not to leave a red. Just a roll up to baulk from a touching ball.

O'Sullivan 3-0 Ford (0-0)

This match only been going for around 40 minutes and O'Sullivan is two frames short of an 87th ranking event semi-final.

O'Sullivan 2-0 Ford (59-58)

Ford mops up the balls until the final red, but he comes up short using the rest. Just needed the red to leave O'Sullivan needing a snooker, but he misses. Almost a steal for Ford, but could now trail 3-0. And he does as O'Sullivan takes out the final black. So the miscue never cost him. A 53 from Ford not enough. One more frame before the mid-session interval.

O'Sullivan 2-0 Ford (27-26)

Looking very relaxed, O'Sullivan produces a terrific split on the pack. All the reds in the open, but the World No 2 suffers an odd miscue. Nobody seen that coming. Ford handed an unlikely chance to recover ground here.

O'Sullivan 2-0 Ford (5-5)

Ford handed chance of a long red which he eases home in style, but misses a red to a centre pocket seconds later. Half-chance for O'Sullivan, but they are all finding the mark at the moment as red drops in the green pocket across the table. Fabulous pot. Ford forced to sit back down.

O'Sullivan 1-0 Ford (90-0)

Misses red with a rest, but Ford has seen more than enough. A 90 follows the 136 and Ford nods his head in resignation. Vital he stems the Rocket tide in this third frame.

O'Sullivan 1-0 Ford (82-0)

This could be another century for O'Sullivan. Utterly dominant stuff. Has never been out of position in this contribution. The crowd are enjoying this exhibition of the ancient art of snooker.

O'Sullivan 1-0 Ford (33-0)

O'Sullivan is off and running again in this second frame. Mind looks to be right on the job tonight. Already looking ominous for Ford in this frane.

O'Sullivan 1-0 Ford (0-0)

O'Sullivan won their last meeting in a key ranking tournament. He ran out a 6-1 winner against Ford in the 2018 UK Championship semi-finals.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Ford (136-0)

Makes it look incredibly simplistic when he in this mood as the century comes up brilliantly. Total clearance of 136 as cool as you like. He leads 1-0 in the race to five. Ford doing little or nothing wrong.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Ford (74-0)

Some sublime ball striking by the six-time world champion since that fluke. Could be a century to start the night with..

O'Sullivan 0-0 Ford (38-0)

O'Sullivan misses red to a centre pocket, but the object ball clips the jaw of pocket before rolling down the side rail and into the yellow bag. Only way it would go. A fine recovery seconds later using the spider. Back in business and looking good for a quick-fire winning break in the first frame.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Ford (0-0)

Chance for O'Sullivan to claim a second ranking title of the season with only Anthony McGill of the word's top 16 still in this event. First he must negotiate a path past Tom Ford in the quarter-finals. Which is easier said than done. McGill meets Liang Wenbo in Friday night's remaining last-eight match.

Day 4-5 Dott

We will be back just before 7pm with Ronnie O'Sullivan facing Tom Ford and Liang Wenbo meeting Anthony McGill in the remaining quarter-final matches.

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Day 4-4 Dott (29-62)

In goes the brown. Dott with a cut on brown and Day offers the handshake. He is through to the semi-finals and a match with Fan Zhengyi, who defeated David Gilbert 5-3 in Friday afternoon's other quarter-final.

Day 4-4 Dott (29-58)

Dott drops in the green from distance. Day now chasing two snookers with four balls remaining. Surely this one is falling towards the 2006 world champion.

Day 4-4 Dott (29-55)

Dott with another chance, but cut back on green to a blind pocket eludes him. So, so twitchy...

Day 4-4 Dott (29-55)

This match doesn't want to end. Neither player overly convincing, but Dott with the slight edge coming down the track.

Day 4-4 Dott (29-55)

Looks like Dott is going to claim the victory! A magnificent long red by Dott settles this one surely, but he then misses a yellow with the rest. Day chasing one snooker on the colours. Still some drama left out there.

Day 4-4 Dott (27-43)

Dott opts against attempting red to a middle pocket and plays the percentage safety shot.

Day 4-4 Dott (27-43)

The former Shoot Out winner goes for a tricky red along the top cushion, but just fails to make it. Dott drops in the red and pink to extend his lead. Two reds left up.

Day 4-4 Dott (16-36)

Day well off with an attempt at the long red as the white jumps down a hole. Dott then picks out an impeccable red to land on the blue with deep screw. Tries to cannon a few reds off the blue, but he ends up knocking in a plant on reds. That is a cruel blow to Dott. Will it cost him his semi-final spot?

Day 4-4 Dott (4-31)

Dott tries to roll in a red to a centre pocket, but misses. Suspect this match might not be settled until the closing moments of the final frame. Has that sort of vibe.

Day 4-4 Dott (4-22)

Supreme shot from Dott as a black brings three reds into the equation. Would like to construct a lead of 30 or 40 points here at the very least.

Day 4-4 Dott (4-4)

Dott eyes up a plant after his opponent can only open with red-green combo. The Scotsman buries the plant with some aplomb before landing plum on a red from the yellow into bunch. What can he run in at this visit?

Day 4-4 Dott (0-0)

A conclusive break of 46 from Day is more than enough to win the eighth frame as Dott nods to the referee, but will it win the day? We are heading, not surprisingly, for the deciding frame.

Day 3-4 Dott (29-23)

Just when it looked like he had done the hard part, Day again misses an eminently pottable red, but the Scotsman returns the favour with a cut on a red rattling the jaws. Can Day force the deciding frame here? A question of nerve because these players are feeling it.

Day 3-4 Dott (17-17)

Dott with early chances in this eighth frame, but he misses a black off its spot and then fails to cut in a red. Day presented with opportunity to get his hand on table, but he flukes a plant on reds before rolling in brown. Looked end of break, but Day still going and these reds look well placed to score from.

Day 3-4 Dott (1-17)

Dott chasing one frame for the semi-finals, Day needs two. Welshman rolls in a mid-range red, but no position to follow. Has been a feature of the match. A prominent long red followed by nothing.

Day 3-3 Dott (41-79)

A protracted period of tactical play has fallen to Dott. Those misses on the brown so key to the shape of the frame with Dott coming up with another snooker to finish off the frame in his favour. Solid matchplay by Dott. He leads 4-3 in this frantic scrap.

Day 3-3 Dott (41-61)

Day misses tricky red with rest. Dott can't get ideal position on final red, but he enjoys second prize by nudging a white behind the brown. Day in a spot of bother after four misses. Could almost win the frame on misses.

Day 3-3 Dott (34-37)

An explosive long pot by the man nicknamed 'Dynamite' Day. Shot of the match so far. Chance to regain ground in this key frame.

Day 3-3 Dott (20-37)

All very tense out there. Dott with a timely long red before rolling up behind the brown. Day fails to escape, and he will be put back in behind the brown. Another failure, but he gets it right the third time. Super escape from the Welshman.

Day 2-3 Dott (81-38)

Highest break of the match. An inspired 76 clearance from Day. We are all square at 3-3 with a possible three frames to play.

Day 2-3 Dott (59-38)

Dott seeing a pink stay out at key point of sixth frame. One red left up and Day is trying to engineer his next option. Drops in a tough black with ease. Superb pot and has chance to pinch this frame to restore parity at 3-3.

Day 2-3 Dott (5-30)

Winning that fifth frame will do little to harm Dott's confidence. Looks like he is back in stroke at the key time of this contest, but misses a red to yellow pocket when he looked like he was set for a decent break. All slightly edgy at the moment, but another long red by Dott finds the target.

Day 2-2 Dott (43-55)

Superb shot along the baulk cushion sees the brown drop. In goes blue and pink..and that will be a 3-2 lead for Dott. One against the head perhaps after Day did likewise in the third frame. The 2006 world champion chasing two more frames to reach the semi-finals.

Day 2-2 Dott (43-35)

Frame still in the balance, but Dott is toiling somewhat. Failing to move 3-0 clear when he had frame balls to leave Day needing snookers has been damaging. Day holding a lead of 15 points with one red left on table, but Dott picks out a brilliant double to boost his hopes.

Day 2-2 Dott (1-28)

Day with first chance in the fifth frame, but a tricky cut on a blue eludes him to a top pocket. Not heavily punished as Dott responds with 28 only to see a mid-range red fail to trouble the pocket.

Fan Zhengyi 4-0 Gilbert

World No 80 Fan with a 4-0 lead over former world semi-finalist Gilbert courtesy of breaks of 56, 62 and 117. Looks like he is going to reach the last four.

Day 2-2 Dott (0-0)

And the concession quickly comes from Dott after he fails to hit a red off one cushion. This quarter-final is delicately poised.

Day 1-2 Dott (71-4)

Day looking much sharper and much more relaxed having got that frame on the board. Table favours him with four reds tied to side cushions. Powers in a sublime mid-range red to keep this break going. Looking for red and black to leave Dott needing a snooker. Which he slots. Looking like 2-2.

Day 1-2 Dott (20-4)

Superb plant on reds by Day to give himself an early scoring chance in this fourth frame. Would dearly love to level up this match at 2-2 before the mid-session interval. Attempts to open up reds off a red, but has quickly run out of position.

Seeking decent cover in baulk. Dott leaves a red seconds later and Day is back in business.

Fan Zhengyi 2-0 Gilbert

Fan with a 2-0 lead over David Gilbert in the other quarter-final. 21-year-old Fan with a knock of 56 in the opening frame.

Day 0-2 Dott (58-57)

Some delightful pots by Day here to keep this break going, but he has landed straight on the pink. Powers in the pink and forces the angle to land on black. In goes the black with the extension on the rest, and Day is back to 2-1 behind. Dott will be ruing that missed opportunity as he loses the frame by a point.

Day 0-2 Dott (25-57)

Two reds left on the table, but Day picks out the penultimate red to a middle pocket. Fine pot as the green follows. Real chance for the Welshman to trail 2-1.

Day 0-2 Dott (18-57)

No winning thrust for Dott in the third frame, but Day then can't slot in a long cut on a red to the yellow pocket. Chances for Day coming and going here. Can't complain about being frozen out of the third frame.

Day 0-2 Dott (18-46)

This could really damage Day if he falls 3-0 behind knowing he was first in among the balls with a glorious opportunity.

Day 0-2 Dott (18-13)

Day plays a very aggressive safety shot as he screws back the white to the top cushion via the pack of reds. Leaves Dott with a fine cut on a red which just fails to drop. Day handed a golden chance to finally compile some points, but he throws in a shocking miss on black off the spot on 18 trying to screw back. Didn't see that coming.

Day 0-2 Dott (0-0)

A rapid break of 49 from the Larkhall man is more than enough for a 2-0 advantage. All very early in this match, but key moments for Day. Doesn't want to give Dott any more impetus.

Day 0-1 Dott (0-40)

Dott slams in a long red to keep break going after running out of position on 24. Manages to go in-off via the yellow, but is back in business seconds later with Day failing to roll in a longish red of his own. Brilliant pot to middle by Dott at pace. That is a welcome memory for the confidence levels.

Day 0-1 Dott (0-17)

Day won their last key meeting 5-3 at a ranking event in the last 32 of the 2015 Shanghai Masters. They first met in the last 64 of the 2004 Grand Prix with Dott edging that encounter 5-4. Dott with first chance to score in this second frame.

Day 0-0 Dott (41-73)

Day reaches the yellow with a run of 40 despite a few near misses. Gets the rest out, but he sees the yellow fail to drop. Dott slots yellow and green before holing the brown. Should be Dott's frame. Day chasing two snookers, but Dott bags the blue seconds later. Will be a 1-0 lead for the Scot.

Day 0-0 Dott (9-59)

Does not hang about when he gets in among them. Dott really moving around the table and this is a chance to take the first frame, but he breaks down on 44. Disappointing end to that break. Day with chance to launch the counter-attack.

Day 0-0 Dott (1-24)

Dott with first chance in the first frame, but he sees a black stay out. Missed black off spot, but Day can't cut in a red to a middle hole. And he has presented Dott with his second chance of the frame. The Scotsman back at the table.

Day 0-0 Dott (1-14)

So it is the former Shoot Out winner Day who breaks off this one. Race to five frames reaches the last four. Dott 4-3 clear on the head-to-head meetings between this pair, but they have not played for seven years. Dott contesting his first ranking quarter-final since the World Grand Prix two years ago.

Rocket feels like 'Superman'

O'Sullivan, the world number two, is the last man standing inside the sport's top 10 at this tournament. World No 15 McGill is the only other member of the top 16 still competing at the Marshall Arena.

Good afternoon

Welcome back to Milton Keynes. It is the day of the last eight at the 2022 European Masters with 2006 world champion Graeme Dott facing Ryan Day and Fan Zhengyi meeting David Gilbert in this afternoon's matches. Tournament favourite Ronnie O'Sullivan confronts Tom Ford with Liang Wenbo meeting Anthony McGill this evening at 7pm. Boys on the baize at 2:30pm GMT.