Tour Championship 2022 as it happened – Neil Robertson beats Ronnie O'Sullivan in final frame to reach final

Updated 01/04/2022 at 22:32 GMT

Join us for live updates from a wonderful snooker semi-final at the Tour Championship: Ronnie O'Sullivan faces Neil Robertson in a mouthwatering showdown in Llandudno. O'Sullivan overcame Mark Williams 10-9 in the quarter-finals in what was a thrilling finale with Robertson holding off Mark Allen 10-6. Stream top snooker action live and on-demand on discovery+

O'Sullivan, Trump and Selby among the top 10 best shots of 2021

That's all for tonight

Wow. What a night of snooker. Both O'Sullivan and Robertson playing in top gear, with the former becoming the first player ever to hit five centuries in successive matches, but still not making it through. Thanks for joining us throughout - we'll be back tomorrow with coverage of the other semi-final, which starts at 1pm. See you then!

O'Sullivan 9-10 Robertson (17-80)

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And the handshake comes as the break ends at 80. That was a phenomenal night of snooker and it's the defending champion Neil Robertson who goes through to the final, where he'll face either Luca Brecel or John Higgins

O'Sullivan 9-9 Robertson (17-80*)

Two more reds, one of them with a colour, required to make the final; Robertson duly pots and adds a handful of other pots to put the frame well over the line.

O'Sullivan 9-9 Robertson (17-51*)

I'm beginning to wonder if Ronnie has played his last shot. Robertson, the defending champion don't forget, is just potting so well.He keeps picking off the loose reds, opening a new path for each one he pots. A break of 51 and counting

O'Sullivan 9-9 Robertson (17-14*)

But the Rocket misses the black off his third red after pushing it against the cushion. That was a tough pot and it stays in the jaws of the right corner. Chance for Robertson now - and he opens with a brilliant red to the left corner.

O'Sullivan 9-9 Robertson (*16-0)

The now traditional fist bump between the pair, along with the cajoling from the crowd, greet the start of the 19th and final frame. Robertson makes an immediate mistake, hitting the green with the cue ball from a safety, leaving a red to the left middle. Ronnie doesn't miss those - and he gets on the back as well.

O'Sullivan 9-9 Robertson (8-86)

And to a decider we go! Robertson closes with 36, again including some masterful pots. Neither player deserves to lose from here, if we're honest

O'Sullivan 9-8 Robertson (8-60*)

Some more safety play ends with Ronnie leaving a long red to the left corner that Robertson sinks so ridiculously comfortably. He adds the blue and is now sauntering to the winning line, which will make us all square with one to play. Five reds left on the table, so one more with a colour will do it

O'Sullivan 9-8 Robertson (0-50)

And it's the fact that so many reds are up against cushions that become Robertson's sticking point. He tries to develop a couple off the brown but fails to do so and has to play safe. Given the way the table looks, it's a very healthy advantage with 83 left on

O'Sullivan 9-8 Robertson (0-46*)

Oh hello. The cleverest of kisses on a red brings the black into play. That makes things much easier, although five or six of the reds are in nasty positions.

O'Sullivan 9-8 Robertson (0-23*)

We're in the midst of another high quality safety battle until Robertson pots a long red under great pressure to get his hand back on the table. If he can just a little bit more control of the cue ball here, and perhaps get the black, pink or blue back on a spot, he'll take us to a decider

O'Sullivan 9-8 Robertson (0-16)

The positional play off the second black sadly isn't quite as good. Robertson has to play safe, with the break ending at 16 and the cue ball now tight on the top cushion

O'Sullivan 9-8 Robertson (0-8*)

Robertson breaks off the 18th frame and he leaves a tricky long red to the left corner. Ronnie hasn't missed much lately, but he misses that by some distance. A lengthy safety battle follows and it ends with O'Sulivan hitting the blue. There's a red on to the right corner. Advantage to Neil, whose pot and positional play on the black is just sublime

O'Sullivan 9-8 Robertson (112-6)

We're seeing some vintage O'Sullivan tonight - and if he's playing anything like this in Sheffield later in the month then a seventh world crown could be on the way. Another masterful century, his fifth of the match and tenth of the tournament, rounds off the frame - although he does go in off when sinking the pink. He's one up with two to play.

O'Sullivan 8-8 Robertson (*76-1)

First target for the Rocket is to get the frame won, and as the snookers required line comes into view he ends up the wrong side of the blue. A superb shot around the angles sees the cue ball bring a red off the side cushion and he's now set to re-take the lead

O'Sullivan 8-8 Robertson (*34-1)

The third blue Ronnie takes is an excellent shot - ball right in the heart of the pocket and positionally perfect. He can now drop behind the black to put that back on its spot, and now it's a frame winning opening

O'Sullivan 8-8 Robertson (*12-1)

Robertson hasn't been behind since losing the ninth frame - but he might be chasing the match in a few minutes. He pots a glorious long red to get his hand on the table, but then misses a regulation blue. Ronnie's at the table now - his issue is that the pink and black are both tied up.

O'Sullivan 8-8 Robertson (74-45)

Well, well, well. Robertson sets a handful of snookers, and off the final one Ronnie not only hits the black, but he leaves the red as well. The saving grace for the Rocket is the black has run reasonably safe on the side cushion, but the frame is alive and kicking again - until Robertson misses the pink and concedes. 8-8, three to play. This is an epic.

O'Sullivan 7-8 Robertson (74-37)

A marvellous display of potting from O'Sullivan who nets a break of 70. The final red was always going to be tricky - and he doesn't attempt the pot in the end. 37 required with 35 left on, so only one snooker needed.

O'Sullivan 7-8 Robertson (*66-37)

A tough blind red into the right corner hovers in the jaws before dropping. He's now 29 ahead with two reds left. If one of them drops, with a colour, Robertson requires snookers

O'Sullivan 7-8 Robertson (*26-37)

Robertson goes in off and that leaves the door ajar for Ronnie, who sinks a link red to the right corner. He finishes the wrong side of the blue but brilliantly take the cue ball around the angles to get back to the right end of the table. He couldn't have wished for a better chance to draw level

O'Sullivan 7-8 Robertson (0-37)

It won't be a maximum for Robertson - he takes a pink off his fourth red, and then off his fifth the split into the pack goes wrong. He has to play safe but has a handy lead

O'Sullivan 7-8 Robertson (0-24*)

Ronnie is annoyed at himself as he leaves a half-chance to the right middle for Robertson at the start of frame 16. The Thunder duly pots that and now has the chance to score heavily around the black spot. Three reds with blacks so far

O'Sullivan 7-8 Robertson (115-0)

And there's just one frame in it again as O'Sullivan finishes with a quite incredible 100 on the nose. The pots on the blue and pink were incredible. That was absolutely outstanding. Four frames to go...

O'Sullivan 6-8 Robertson (*75-0)

O'Sullivan as ever switching between playing left and right handed at his leisure. He moves onto 48 for the break to leave Robertson requiring snookers, and the next red, a terrific acute cut into the right corner, kills the frame off. This has been an exhibition from the Rocket

O'Sullivan 6-8 Robertson (*44-0)

Ronnie is playing some incredibly aggressive snooker. He pots a really tricky brown when snookering in behind the yellow was much easier, while red, green, red, green finally gets him into prime position. The frame looks there for the taking now - could he respond with a century of his own?

O'Sullivan 6-8 Robertson (15-0)

So after his second century of the final, Robertson misses his first attempt at a red in frame 15, leaving the door very much open for Ronnie. He hangs his head a few shots later though when clipping the green as he attempted to go in and out of baulk off a red, losing position but playing a good recovering safety

O'Sullivan 6-8 Robertson (5-130)

The Aussie reachs frame ball - and then some. A masterful century is reached with a delightful pot down the cushion on a blue that he makes look easy. 117 the end break. He's the defending champion here in Llandudno, beating Ronnie in last year's final, and he is now two frames away from the final once again.

O'Sullivan 6-7 Robertson (5-60*)

55 the lead for Neil now with six reds left on the table. He's potting so well, without actually firing home a landslide of centuries. But he's got a great chance to make one here

O'Sullivan 6-7 Robertson (5-29*)

It's been one of those sessions for Ronnie so far. A magical long red is followed by a missed blue, and Robertson bounds up to the table to see he's been left with a glorious chance to restore his two frame cushion

O'Sullivan 6-7 Robertson (4-13)

Ronnie misses a long red to the left corner and half slaps his thigh in frustration. The damage is sizeable - leaving a couple of pots on for Robertson, who is now at the table and looking pretty handy under he goes straight through the pack off the pink, landing on the top cushion and stopping him in his tracks - and he goes in off with the resulting safety

O'Sullivan 6-7 Robertson (69-7)

"This has been a wonderfully crafted break", says Ken Doherty. He ends on 63, but that's more than enough to reduce Robertson's advantage.

O'Sullivan 5-7 Robertson (*49-7)

So in going up for the blue each time, there is a risk of finishing the wrong side of it, which he does off his next red, but recovers brilliantly with a sweetly hit long red. He soon gets the chance to pot the pink and get it back on its spot - and now the frame is at his mercy

O'Sullivan 5-7 Robertson (*31-7)

Now there's a chance for Ronnie. Robertson misses a long red and leaves the Rocket in perfect position. The pink and black are both of their spots, so there's plenty of work to do with the cueball in constantly going up for the blue, but the reds could barely be spread better

O'Sullivan 5-7 Robertson (6-7)

Ronnie is certainly not having the run of the balls so far in this frame, potting a red that careers up and down the table and hangs over the pocket for Robertson to clip home. Position on the blue is natural, and he too goes into the pack without much fortune. There's one half chance, to the right middle, and he sinks it superbly, before playing safe off the brown

O'Sullivan 5-7 Robertson (6-0)

And Robertson blinks first with a reasonably poor safety that leaves half a chance for Ronnie on a mid-range red to the left corner. He's not got a great position on the blue, needing to go in and out of baulk and into the pack. A terrific attempt, but he can't quite leave himself on a red so plays safe

We're back

Gold on the Ceiling by the Black Keys the song of choice as the two players make their way back into the arena. Ronnie gets frame 13 underway - he needs five frames for victory, just the three for Neil

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O'Sullivan 5-7 Robertson (0-66)

The next red is frame ball and he puts that, but misses a regulation pink to end any hopes of a 100. Two snookers required and Ronnie doesn't fancy his chances so concedes. Robertson has a two frame lead going into the interval

O'Sullivan 5-6 Robertson (0-65*)

There's been some real fine potting in this break, and some nice positional play too, including a delicate cannon to free up the pink and get it back on its spot. There's a big chance of another century here

O'Sullivan 5-6 Robertson (0-32*)

Neil reaches 19 before it comes to going into the pack, and he plays it well, ending up with a couple of options. He takes one of them to the left corner, and it looks like the break has come to the end off the resulting blue when he tries a delicate cannon and slides off a red towards the right corner - but a terrific recovery pot keeps him in

O'Sullivan 5-6 Robertson (0-6*)

So here comes the final frame before the interval - and Robertson's break leaves a long red to the left corner. Ronnie attempts it but misses and the balls fall very nicely for the Thunder, who is immediately at the table and looking to open a two frame lead for the first time

O'Sullivan 5-6 Robertson (13-66)

Robertson comes to the table needing red, black, red, which he achieves with ease, putting the frame to bed by adding the pink. An end break of 16 is more than enough as he goes in front of the first time since the opening frame

O'Sullivan 5-5 Robertson (13-50)

O'Sullivan takes the brown following that red and now has position among the reds. A couple of have nestled against the cushion, so that works in Robertson's favour. The Rocket reaches before missing a black to the same pocket as Neil though, and now the frame should go the way of the Aussie

O'Sullivan 5-5 Robertson (*1-50)

Robbo reaches his half-century and then misses a straightforward enough black off its spot. Seven reds left on the table and Ronnie picks out the most remarkable of plants to get himself in.

O'Sullivan 5-5 Robertson (0-29*)

A neat long red to the right corner gets Neil Robertson underway in frame 11, and then a good pot off the brown gets him position in amongst the reds. He quickly races to 29 and has a good chance to make a lot more

O'Sullivan 5-5 Robertson (22-63)

Robertson pots another couple of reds, rolling up behind a colour on each occasion, to leave Ronnie requiring one snooker, and that quickly becomes two when he fails to come from behind the black to hit the final red. He eventually concedes and we're all square after the longest frame of the match so far

O'Sullivan 5-4 Robertson (22-57)

A break of 30 comes to an end as Robertson tries to develop a couple of reds on the left cushion but sticks to one of them. Still, it's a more than handy 35 point lead with three reds left

O'Sullivan 5-4 Robertson (22-28*)

So much trouble, in fact, that he misses with the red altogether with his first two attempts and gets a warning from the referee. A bit of a hit and hope next time to ensure he doesn't leave the frame, and fortunately he doesn't leave much either. Ronnie, on the other hand, does leave something, a red to the left corner, and the Thunder is back in

O'Sullivan 5-4 Robertson (14-27*)

O'Sullivan tries a clever pot to the left corner, coming off the side cushion before hitting the red, but it hits the jaws and bounces to safety. He leaves one to the left middle though, and in taking it Robertson suddenly has a huge opening. It all goes wrong when losing position off the blue though. Seven reds left and a horrible safety to find now

O'Sullivan 5-4 Robertson (15-1)

Ronnie can't quite find the pot on the red, but he gets a good cue ball. Robertson though rattles home a magnificent pot to the right corner before rolling up behind the yellow. An intriguing safety battle follows. Both players are zoned in here

O'Sullivan 5-4 Robertson (*14-0)

A safety battle opens frame 10, but Ronnie ends it when he pots a long red to the green pocket before picking off a handful of reds that had ended up a the baulk end. Fair to say he's looking in good touch here, but he doesn't have much luck when going into the pack off the blue. He'll need a good pot from here

O'Sullivan 5-4 Robertson

Ronnie opens up the pack with a lovely run-through and is soon at frame ball, which he duly pots and clears up to the black. Great start for the Rocket

O'Sullivan 4-4 Robertson (*46-16)

Robertson leaves Ronnie in trouble at the baulk end and he's having to engineer some kind of great escape. He finally hits on the fourth attempt and Robbo think he's been left a plant in the bunch that doesn't quite land. Even worse, the red hangs over the pocket and the Rocket pots it superbly - and is now building a commanding lead

O'Sullivan 4-4 Robertson (34-4)

The cueball is having to do a lot of work here, travelling from one end of the table to the other on each shot. Ronnie comes unstuck when potting the green and attempting to get back to the pack, accidently clipping one loose red into the left corner. Fortunately he doesn't leave anything for Robertson to pot

O'Sullivan 4-4 Robertson (*30-0)

A safety exchange ends with a mistake from Robertson, who hits the red too thinly and leaves it hanging over the right middle. Ronnie duly pots, but there aren't too many options with colours as the pink and black are hampered. He manages to pot the latter, but holds its spot, so it's now up at the baulk end. Not a frame winning chance, yet

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

And Ronnie immediately rattles in a super long red to the left corner before perfectly cueing a brown into the right middle. Neither of those shots were easy - and neither was the second brown he pots, but he can't get position on the red and it's break over

O'Sullivan 4-4 Robertson

O'Sullivan gets frame nine underway. We're in for a fascinating and electric night. Strap yourselves in

Here we go...

The boys hit the baize to a terrific ovation in North Wales, with Drops of Jupiter by Train greeting O'Sullivan as he strolls into the arena

While you're here

Play gets underway at 7.30, so there's just about time to check out the Qatar 2022 World Cup draw, which has taken place this afternoon...and evening (you know how long these things take!)

The story so far

The opening session in this one was a belter. We saw four centuries, three in favour of Ronnie, who raced into a 4-1 lead before being pegged back

Welcome back!

Good evening and welcome back to tonight's coverage of the Tour Championship semi-final between Ronnie O'Sullivan and Neil Robertson. We've potentially got 11 frames in front of us, the two players are locked at 4-4 and we are in for a thriller of a night in Llandudno

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

O'Sullivan made breaks of 125, 90, 106 and 128 with Robertson offering up 115, 62, 54, 85 and 95 in response. Eight frames of quite majestic snooker. Could go either way tonight. See you back here when they play to a finish tonight before John Higgins and Luca Brecel collide in the second semi-final on Saturday.

O'Sullivan 4-3 Robertson (0-95)

Heading for 4-4. No century to conclude the session with. But a break of 95 is enough to see the World No 4 level at 4-4. A bit of good fortune it must be said in final frame of the afternoon, but can't argue with the clinical nature of the closing break. They resume from 7:15pm this evening. All on the line for a place in Sunday's final. O'Sullivan will be annoyed not to lead as he was the slightly better player, but Robertson dug in superbly well from 4-1 behind. Both men with a 95% pot success rate.

O'Sullivan 4-3 Robertson (0-33)

Mistake by Robertson, but gets lucky as he does not leave the red to middle. Brown covers the pot. O'Sullivan faced with a tough safety shot and hits the red too thick before white lands among the reds at business end of table. First chance then to Robertson, who will aim to cash in on the good fortune. O'Sullivan left frustrated.

O'Sullivan 4-2 Robertson (0-85)

A relaxed break of 85 from Robertson is more than enough to win a second straight frame. He trails by the odd frame in seven. Final frame of the afternoon session coming up.

O'Sullivan 4-2 Robertson (0-69)

Mid-range red is floated in with ease and he is back in prime position. Looks like a clear run to winning line in this frame. In goes the pink and that is indeed frame ball.

O'Sullivan 4-2 Robertson (0-50)

The Melburnian working out which order in which to take these balls, but not much between him and another serious break you suspect. Looks for all the world like 4-3. Black back in play for the defending champion and he is rolling them in like a tap-in on the golf course.

O'Sullivan 4-2 Robertson (0-9)

Slight safety error by Robertson goes unpunished as O'Sullivan cannot hole a long red. Was a chance with red near pocket. Rueful smile by Rocket. He knows that might be costly going by the standard of this match so far.

O'Sullivan 4-2 Robertson (0-0)

Two more frames of this absorbing first session to run. Robertson with an unorthodox safety shot, but ends up snookering O'Sullivan behind green. These safety jousts so important to gain access to the table.

O'Sullivan 4-1 Robertson (8-116)

Looks like another quick frame is going to be over with another hefty break, but Robertson misses tough black on 62. O'Sullivan handed chance of a counter attack, but can't open pack of three reds from the black. Robertson returns to wallop home long red before compiling a rapid 54 and that miss on black isn't going to cost him. He trails 4-2. O'Sullivan maybe should have taken red along top cushion to open up frame after his opponent's missed black, but too late now. Decisions, decisions.

O'Sullivan 4-1 Robertson (0-25)

Robertson had gone 61 minutes without potting a ball. O'Sullivan tried to cajole a long-range red into the green bag, but just faltered. Finally an opportunity falls to the Australian. Vital he gets his cue arm working.

O'Sullivan 3-1 Robertson (136-4)

This is just remarkable. Some wonderful ball striking by the GOAT. Going to be another century. Some lovely safety play at the start of the frame. Won by O'Sullivan and this is the outcome. A 128 break from O'Sullivan. He leads 4-1 in a match oozing quality.

O'Sullivan 3-1 Robertson (45-4)

Lovely shot on the brown. Comes off one cushion, straight into the pack of reds and they open up like a flower in Spring. Don't see where he is going to slip up at the moment. Looks like this could soon be heading 4-1 with another big break on the horizon.

O'Sullivan 3-1 Robertson (15-4)

Robertson escapes from a snooker, but careers into the pack of reds. Chance for O'Sullivan and he slams a red into the yellow pocket despite being troubled by the cueing over the reds. That really was wonderful and he gets first go again in this fifth frame of the day.

O'Sullivan 3-1 Robertson (0-0)

O'Sullivan 2-1 Robertson (111-4)

A fabulous break of 106 from O'Sullivan. He leads 3-1 at the mid-session. Work to be done by Robertson when they resume in 15 minutes or so.

O'Sullivan 2-1 Robertson (96-4)

That cue ball seems to be controlled by radar. Break moves rapidly to 64. In goes frame-ball blue and O'Sullivan will lead 3-1. This is the snooker GOAT showing why he is such a prodigious talent. Completely zoned in. Chance of a second century coming up.

O'Sullivan 2-1 Robertson (41-4)

Bit of taut safety early in the fourth frame before a mistake by Robertson escaping from a snooker presents Rocket with chance to score. And that is not a good idea the way he is playing at the moment. Not sure O'Sullivan can play any better than this..

O'Sullivan 1-1 Robertson (134-0)

A break of 90 to go with the opening 44 and this is a 2-1 lead for the Essex man. Quite magnificent it must be said. One more frame before the mid-session interval and we have not even been going for 40 minutes. Such a high standard of snooker supremacy.

O'Sullivan 1-1 Robertson (86-0)

This is gladiatorial stuff between these two giants. Robertson tries to tie up O'Sullivan on top cushion, but he rolls in a tough red to a middle bag. And the six-time world champion is going to lead 2-1. Magical play by the snooker GOAT. And the speed of thought and selection is quite astounding too.

O'Sullivan 1-1 Robertson (44-0)

Robertson attempts a long red. Misses by some distance and an easy opener for O'Sullivan. Reaches 44, but pack doesn't split. And double on red isn't too great either. White isn't really safe if Robertson can pick out a pot. Reds all in open too. Just the safety from the World No 4.

O'Sullivan 0-1 Robertson (125-0)

Was never out of position in that break. Didn't even bother with the black at the end. This really is epic stuff already. Robertson starting with 115, O'Sullivan responding with 125. Amazing standard. What a day this could be. 1-1.

O'Sullivan 0-1 Robertson (14-0)

O'Sullivan first to the punch in this second frame of the day. What has the Rocket got lined up in response? Certainly knows how to put on a show himself.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Robertson (0-119)

And there is going to be the century to start this match with. A break of 115 is just the job for the Melburnian. He leads this semi-final 1-0. What a glorious start to the day.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Robertson (0-65)

Looks like a one-hit kill in this first frame. Ruthless by the Masters champion.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Robertson (0-37)

Can expect to see plenty of one-visit snooker in this match. In the race to 10 frames, vital to make a bright start and Robertson is seeing the white ball loud and clear.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Robertson (0-37)

Robertson looking in top gear. O'Sullivan with a blind cut on red. Drops in, but the white also falls down a centre pocket. The Australian presented with red to middle and he is off and running with a few delightful shots already around the pack.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Robertson (0-0)

O'Sullivan is 18-11 clear on the career head-to-heads, but Robertson has won the past two meetings, a 6-4 win in the Masters quarter-finals and a 6-3 success in the last eight of the Players Championship last month. A decent crowd inside Venue Cymru in Llandudno for this semi-final today. Of course, O'Sullivan completed a 10-8 win over Robertson in the World Grand Prix final in December.

Welcome back to Wales

What a match we have coming up today in Llandudno. Ronnie O'Sullivan v Neil Robertson? It doesn't get much bigger.

It's the first of the two semi-finals at the Tour Championship with John Higgins to face Luca Brecel on Saturday in the second.

'It was mental' – O'Sullivan reveals what he said to Williams after thriller

Ronnie O'Sullivan has spoken about what he said to his legendary rival Mark Williams after their Tour Championship thriller on Wednesday night.

The Rocket survived a spirited fightback from Williams in what turned out to be a classic encounter to reach the semi-finals in Wales.

The two all-time greats lit up the Venue Cymru in Llandudno with their ferocious potting and O'Sullivan's class ultimately showed through in a nervy final frame, which he edged 65-44.

"I just said you never missed a long ball all day, it was just ridiculous, it was mental," O’Sullivan told ITV of his post-match conversation with his old rival.

"Neil Robertson can pot long balls but he’d have to go some to pot as many as he did today.

"It’s probably the best he’s ever played against me and probably one of the best I’ve ever played against him. It was a tough game."

"My scoring was alright, I didn’t think I was going to get a chance in the last, pleased to get a chance and make it a bit close," he continued.