European Masters snooker LIVE – Ronnie O'Sullivan secures final spot with victory over Liang Wenbo, Fan Zhengyi win
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ByEurosport
Updated 26/02/2022 at 22:13 GMT
Welcome back to Eurosport's live coverage of the 2022 European Masters snooker where world champion Mark Selby is the defending champion. Today is semi-final day with World No 80 Fan Zhengyi edging out 2006 world champion Graeme Dott 6-4 before six-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan hit two centuries in a 6-2 win against Liang Wenbo in the second last-four clash.
It’s hard to see anyone stopping him - O’Sullivan seals win over Tom Ford with century break
O'Sullivan 6-2 Liang
Liang mistakenly pots blue and offers his concession. O'Sullivan finally over the line in this match. He will face 21-year-old Fan Zhengyi in the final on Sunday in his 60th ranking final as he chases a 39th ranking title of his career. We will be back at 12:45pm on Sunday with more LIVE updates from Milton Keynes. Thanks for joining us.
O'Sullivan 5-2 Liang (71-51)
Liang needing two snookers on blue, pink and black after O'Sullivan slots home green and brown. Quite an epic frame this, but looks like it is going to fall to O'Sullivan.
O'Sullivan 5-2 Liang (64-46)
Liang then misses a fine escape on green, but gets there second time. O'Sullivan responds with a superb safety shot to snooker Liang.
O'Sullivan 5-2 Liang (60-46)
Frame has been running for 31 minutes as Liang sinks the yellow. Snookers himself on green and fails to hit it first time. A green ball frame this. Error by referee as he puts white back in wrong place. Liang hits green directly second time.
O'Sullivan 5-2 Liang (56-44)
Liang ends up potting the red off three cushions as he tries to lay a snooker. Bit unfortunate as we head off into the colours.
O'Sullivan 5-2 Liang (56-43)
O'Sullivan lays a fine snooker as Liang hits the pink on first attempt at red. Make contact second time. A lead of 13 points.
O'Sullivan 5-2 Liang (50-43)
Yellow, green and black tied up as the safety joust on the final red continues.
O'Sullivan 5-2 Liang (50-43)
Liang back to within seven points before he runs safe off the final red. All getting a bit more interesting out there.
O'Sullivan 5-2 Liang (50-20)
Makes 50, but no winning break at this visit. Three reds in difficult positions on table as Liang gets out of his seat.
O'Sullivan 5-2 Liang (28-20)
Safety attempt by O'Sullivan goes wrong but he enjoys a remarkable fluke before rolling in a blue. Liang can't believe his luck. Groans are palpable, but O'Sullivan will power on here.
O'Sullivan 5-2 Liang (1-20)
Liang with another decent chance early in this eighth frame after O'Sullivan failed to drop in a red along top cushion. Brilliant opening red, but he sticks to a red trying to open the pack. Just the safety to follow.
O'Sullivan 5-2 Liang (1-0)
So the victory march has been held up by that Liang recovery. Long red from O'Sullivan, but he can't hold for the black. Just the safety shot.
O'Sullivan 5-1 Liang (64-67)
Rearguard action by Liang. Tough shot on brown, but he drops it in. In goes blue, pink and black. What a steal that is from nowhere by Liang. O'Sullivan only one ball from victory, but Liang extends the match with delightful run of 56.
O'Sullivan 5-1 Liang (64-11)
53 the difference with 59 left on the table..
O'Sullivan 5-1 Liang (59-9)
O'Sullivan sees a red to middle bag stay out. Liang still alive in this match, but you suspect the end is nigh.
O'Sullivan 5-1 Liang (24-8)
Liang being forced to throw his cue at a few shots, but tough shot on a black fails to trouble the pocket. O'Sullivan left right back in among the balls here. Could be game, set and match coming up.
O'Sullivan 5-1 Liang (16-1)
O'Sullivan's safety has arguably been as impressive as his shot-making this evening. Right on it from the first shot.
O'Sullivan 5-1 Liang (0-0)
O'Sullivan goes for a long red. Finally misses a shot. Liang with a rueful smile as he realises he isn't on a red. Tough shift for the former UK finalist this evening.
O'Sullivan 5-1 Liang (0-0)
O'Sullivan has potted 149 balls from 155 attempts this evening. #levels
O'Sullivan 4-1 Liang (109-0)
In goes the green and another sparkling century for the great man. A break of 109 this time and a 5-1 advantage. Simply too good.
O'Sullivan 4-1 Liang (64-0)
Liang just forced to sit and suck this up. Not much you can do when the other bloke is hitting the white ball so sweetly. On a piece on string tonight.
O'Sullivan 4-1 Liang (36-0)
Fine long red by the Rocket at outset of this sixth frame. Magical pot after he was being heckled by a bloke in crowd. Doesn't let it distract him. Business at hand is all under control as break reaches 36 with more surely to come.
O'Sullivan 3-1 Liang (135-0)
A glorious break of 127 from the snooker GOAT. Just knocking balls in for fun. Any Liang mistake is being heavily punished. A 4-1 advantage in the race to six frames.
O'Sullivan 3-1 Liang (77-0)
O'Sullivan playing some pristine touch snooker at moment. Looking so relaxed out there. Is going to be a century surely...
O'Sullivan 3-1 Liang (29-0)
O'Sullivan cuts in red, but out of position seconds later following pot on black. Liang butchers a safety shot as O'Sullivan rolls in red to middle bag. Just made it down the hole. But it dropped and he looks like he could be away again in this fifth frame.
O'Sullivan 2-1 Liang (85-1)
A break of 60 from the 38-time ranking event winner and a 3-1 lead at the mid-session interval. Performing in some style so far. All very calm, composed and controlled.
O'Sullivan 2-1 Liang (54-1)
Liang just fails to sink a long red and he has left it. Will that near miss cost him the fourth frame?
O'Sullivan 2-1 Liang (25-1)
A bit error-strewn this frame as O'Sullivan misses red from close range.
O'Sullivan 2-1 Liang (1-1)
Breathtaking long red from O'Sullivan, but he misses a yellow seconds later. Liang with chance to compile a few points, but he then misses black off the spot.
O'Sullivan 1-1 Liang (72-27)
The World No 2 with a carefree knock of 72 to lead 2-1. Liang being heavily punished for his mistakes so far. One more frame before the mid-session interval.
O'Sullivan 1-1 Liang (28-27)
Liang pushes boat out with attempt at a long red. Miles off that effort. And O'Sullivan returns to table with chance to recover.
O'Sullivan 1-1 Liang (0-27)
Break of 27 from Liang in this third frame. Wrong angle on a blue left him in trouble and he misses a tough cut on a red. A safety shot by Liang. Not many of them so far this evening.
O'Sullivan 0-1 Liang (81-42)
A break of 81 from O'Sullivan is more than enough to level at 1-1. Doesn't bother with the black. Liang paying a heavy price for missing that yellow. Can't afford to miss those at this level.
O'Sullivan 0-1 Liang (16-42)
Liang finding his range in this match. He has won one match against O'Sullivan in the past 11 meetings with a 6-4 success in the semi-finals of the 2013 International Championship. Splits open the pack on 42, but misses the yellow off the spot and he has opened them all up for the Rocket. What an error that might be.
O'Sullivan 0-1 Liang (0-9)
Long red from Liang finds the mark followed by black. Looks quite relaxed so far this evening.
O'Sullivan 0-1 Liang (0-0)
Liang gets the second frame off and running boosted by taking that first frame.
O'Sullivan 0-0 Liang (50-74)
Moves up to 54, but he runs out of position on final red. Brilliant thin recovery cut on red to middle pocket. Superb pot. Back in prime position. Should be an epic steal for Liang here. In goes the brown and blue. Finishes with 74 to cancel out the O'Sullivan 50. He leads 1-0.
O'Sullivan 0-0 Liang (50-16)
Liang has a real chance to pinch this frame. All the reds are out in open after he slides in a lovely cut on a red to middle.
O'Sullivan 0-0 Liang (50-0)
But a red wriggles out on 50. Was tough cueing, but didn't expect him to miss that. Liang presented with chance to punish that error.
O'Sullivan 0-0 Liang (44-0)
A very considered start by the Rocket. Taking a bit of extra care over his shots as break reaches 44.
O'Sullivan 0-0 Liang (16-0)
Liang almost knocks in the long red, but it doesn't drop and he has provided the World No 2 with first opportunity to score in the opening frame. Chance to get cue arm working.
O'Sullivan 0-0 Liang (0-0)
O'Sullivan breaks off the first frame of his best-of-11 frame semi-final. Decent break. White just off the baulk cushion.
O'Sullivan 0-0 Liang (0-0)
Welcome back to the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes. Tournament favourite Ronnie O'Sullivan chases his first European Masters title with a match against Liang Wenbo standing between the six-time world champion and a place in the final on Sunday against Fan Zhengyi, who completed a 6-4 win over Graeme Dott earlier on Saturday.
Dott 4-6 Fan
Disappointment for Dott, but Fan always looked the likelier figure with breaks of 131, 58, 77 and 84 enough to see him through to a first major final. We will be back at 7pm with Ronnie O'Sullivan against Liang Wenbo in the second semi-final.
Dott 4-5 Fan (32-84)
Break reaches 66 as a couple of yellows disappear. This match is officially over. Fan heading into the final on Sunday. A concluding knock of 84. It is a 6-4 victory for Fan Zhengyi.
Dott 4-5 Fan (32-46)
This looks like match-winning chance, but we have been before today. Break reaches 46..looking like the telling blow..
Dott 4-5 Fan (32-29)
Dott not threatening to make a winning surge to the decider as he breaks down attempting red down table to yellow pocket to leave Fan back among balls. Tension of the occasion in the respective cue arms the main culprit at this juncture.
Dott 4-5 Fan (25-0)
Are we heading for a deciding frame in this match? Not at this visit as Dott sees a black stay out on 24. Tricky shot with rest, but Fan can't tickle in a red. So much tension in this match, but Fan seems to be all over the place at the wrong time.
Dott 4-5 Fan (0-0)
A 36-minute ninth frame falls to Dott. We head off into the tenth of the day. First chance of the frame finds Dott at the table.
Dott 3-5 Fan (74-58)
Another in-off from Dott. So many fouls being committed out there. Lead is back to four points as a cross double narrowly fails to drop. Chance for Dott to punch in green from mid-range. Which he takes. In goes brown and blue. And Dott is back to 5-4 behind. He stays alive in this semi-final.
Dott 3-5 Fan (62-54)
Dott finds the yellow, but ends up managing to knock a white into middle bag playing safe off the green. Dott needs up to blue at moment.
Dott 3-5 Fan (60-50)
Dott retrieving a few of those fouls with his own snooker. Brown is suddenly the problem ball in this frame as Fan screws white across table behind pink. Another snooker that Dott escapes from. This frame could fall either way.
Dott 3-5 Fan (52-50)
An astonishing fluked snooker by Fan as white comes off a middle jaw before nestling behind the black across the table. Dott just misses it first, second and third time. So unfortunate. Reaches the fourth time. Frame in the balance.
Dott 3-5 Fan (52-38)
Dott throws in a dreadful safety shot. Leaves red over a middle pocket and that could spell the end of his ambitions, but Fan misses yellow with rest. All the nerves coming to the fore. Neither player looks convincing when pressure comes on.
Dott 3-5 Fan (52-31)
Dott reaches 52, but then misses a straight green off the spot. That is a shocker from the Scotsman, but he is not punished as Fan can't slot red down the table. Dott then sees red to middle elude him. All getting very nervy.
Dott 3-5 Fan (20-31)
Dott picks out a brilliant double on a red. Slots the pink and opens up the pack of reds nicely. Didn't use brute force to release the reds. Clever shot. Chance to launch counter punch.
Dott 3-5 Fan (0-31)
Fan at the table chasing the break that could open the door to his first major final. Key to this frame will be splashing open the pack of reds. Tries to go into them off the green, but misses the bunch by some distance. Just a roll up to the reds to finish.
Dott 3-5 Fan (0-0)
Back into the groove with a knock of 77 from Fan. Suddenly looking very assured. One more frame needed to secure a final with Ronnie O'Sullivan or Liang Wenbo on Sunday.
Dott 3-4 Fan (5-76)
Fan rediscovering the right vibe at the right time here. Starting to score after a period of stagnation with break reaching 76 and more to come. Could be heading for a 5-3 lead. Dott punished after missing a long red and leaving it.
Dott 2-4 Fan (72-8)
Much more like it from Dott, who is digging deep to find his best form out there. A break of 62 sees the match narrow to only one frame.
Dott 2-4 Fan (32-8)
Real chance has opened up for Dott to build a big lead in this seventh frame. Slightly concerned that occasion might have got to Fan. The mood of the match has altered.
Dott 2-4 Fan (10-0)
Neither player finding peak form out there, but that might suit Dott better than Fan, who has been the more prolific scorer of the two.
Dott 1-4 Fan (64-24)
Dott far from happy as he shakes his head, but does enough to win a fairly lamentable frame of snooker. Fan failed to escape from a snooker before the 2006 world champion tidied up the colours to the blue. Nervous tension suddenly plagues this contest.
Dott 1-4 Fan (48-24)
Some sublime pots by Fan, but Dott then given chance to win the frame. Pots red, but misses green to a centre pocket. Fan then blows chance of a straight green to yellow pocket. All incredibly nervy out there. Dott needs green to close to 4-2 behind.
Dott 1-4 Fan (42-13)
The Scotsman misses a cut on a red by some distance. Frustration is obvious for the Larkhall man. Bout of safety to sort out this sixth frame.
Dott 1-4 Fan (42-13)
Not full of one-visit snooker this match, but Dott has nudged himself into the lead in this sixth frame. Five reds left on the table, but Dott the player making the pots at the moment.
Dott 1-4 Fan (1-8)
Fan suddenly becoming the dominant force in this contest. First to the punch in this sixth frame, but he overcuts an attempt at a brown. Dott presented with chance of his own, but he runs out of position immediately. Just the safety coming up.
Dott 1-3 Fan (47-66)
Some eye-catching pots by Fan. Drops in a black to land on yellow. Could be 4-1 coming up. Brown to blue is the key ball. In goes brown. Rolls home the blue and pink. Break of 58 is enough for a 4-1 lead.
Dott 1-3 Fan (47-8)
Error by Dott with a safety attempt as he ends up with a dreaded double kiss. Chance for Fan to recover ground in this frame.
Dott 1-3 Fan (31-7)
Fan first among the balls from a long red, but he misses a black when he seemed poised to progress. Initiative passes back to Dott, who would love to get moving in this frame.
Dott 1-2 Fan (50-62)
Down to the pink and black after some fine tactical play, but Fan is the man with the plan as he sneaks in the pink to the yellow pocket using the rest. On goes the face mask. Error by Dott at the key time and he is punished. The 21-year-old Fan leads 3-1 at the mid-session interval.
Dott 1-2 Fan (48-40)
Fan hits the yellow at second attempt and manages to nudge it safe. Bit of a tactical duel to settle the fourth frame.
Dott 1-2 Fan (44-40)
A lead of 10 points for Dott heading for the final red. Fan presented with chance of a fine cut on a red at the top end of the table. In goes the red. Far from straightforward finish, but plays a fine shot to land on yellow. Only blue ball is on its spot, but he misses the yellow. And Dott responds with a final snooker on the yellow.
Dott 1-2 Fan (23-30)
Early in this match, but Fan would dearly love to hold a 3-1 lead at the mid-session interval. Being mindful about his work before he plays a superb cannon to open up the reds. Real opportunity to win frame at this visit, but he undercooks a cut back black that stays up. Well, that is a blow. Dott presented with a route out of this frame to 2-2.
Dott 1-2 Fan (14-1)
Classy long red by Dott early in the fourth frame, but he misses black off the spot seconds later. That is frustrating. Dott drops his head in frustration. Can't believe he has missed that.
Dott 0-2 Fan (72-30)
This has been a superb response from Dott. Was all at sea, but one long red changed the narrative as he cleared to the blue with 66. Fan leads 2-1, but Dott has given him food for thought. Right back in the ball game.
Dott 0-2 Fan (49-30)
Brilliant long red by Dott. Real confidence booster. Manages to tease a red into a middle pocket after almost running out of position. Creeping towards putting his first frame of the day on the board.
Dott 0-2 Fan (6-30)
Fan enjoying his day so far. Really wheeling out a festival of shots with various touches of side, top and screw. This contribution already looks ominous for Dott, but Fan fails to sink a tricky blue to the yellow pocket. Dott then sees red to middle pocket stay out. The Scot toiling to get his break-building moving.
Dott 0-1 Fan (0-131)
Third century of the week coming up for Fan. A delightful break of 131 is more than enough for a 2-0 advantage. Concerning times for 'The Pocket Dynamo' out in the arena.
Dott 0-1 Fan (0-70)
Some superb break-building by Fan. Is moving the white ball around with real intent. Making that cue ball talk. Chance of a century in the second frame.
Dott 0-1 Fan (0-30)
We are off and running in the second frame in the race to six. Dott attempts a long pot on a red, but makes a mess of that effort. Fan slides a red into the pocket and suddenly an early opportunity presents itself to the young Chinese professional.
Dott 0-0 Fan (14-72)
Another chance goes astray for Fan as a black wriggles in the jaws. 43 ahead with 43 remaining on the table. Dott clinging on by his fingertips, but a missed black will cost him the frame. A 1-0 lead for Fan in this match. The former U-21 world champion makes a decent start to the match.
Dott 0-0 Fan (6-40)
These two players previously met in the first round of the 2019 International Championship with Dott winning 6-2, but 21-year-old Fan is clearly a different player this season having reached the German Masters quarter-finals last month, losing 5-0 to Mark Allen in the last eight.
Fan breaks down on 37. Surprising to see that cut on a red elude him. Dott picks out a nice red with the rest to regain access to the table, but then misses a black off the spot. Bad miss.
Dott 0-0 Fan (0-2)
Brilliant long red by Fan early in the first frame. Showing his technique is holding up well in what is the biggest match of his career so far.
Dott 0-0 Fan (0-0)
Welcome back to Milton Keynes on semi-final day. Graeme Dott against Fan Zhengyi is the first European Masters semi-final at the Marshall Arena.
2006 world champion Dott chasing his first final appearance since the World Grand Prix two years ago. Ronnie O'Sullivan meets Liang Wenbo in the second semi-final from 7pm tonight. Should be a fascinating day's play.
'Hurry up and get in' - O'Sullivan spots movement in crowd in middle of century break
Ronnie O’Sullivan made a blistering start to his European Masters quarter-final with Tom Ford, and even had time to urge the crowd to come in and take their seats.
O’Sullivan has been in a positive frame of mind in Milton Keynes this week, and has been impressive barring an arm wrestle with Zhang Anda.
He kicked off his win over Ashley Hugill in the previous round with a break of 141, and it was a similar story against Ford.
O’Sullivan required a slice of luck to get in, as a red hit the jaws of the left middle and rolled along the rail before dropping into the yellow pocket.
He took full advantage with a break of 136, but mid-break - with the frame not yet won - he had time to pick out members of the audience hanging around and beckoned them in.
“Come on, hurry up and get in,” O’Sullivan said.
“He seems to have eyes in the back of his head, he sees everything,” said Neal Foulds on Eurosport commentary.
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