WST Pro Series snooker: 'Beating Ronnie key to glory' – World number 120 Hancorn stuns O'Sullivan
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ByEurosport
Updated 16/03/2021 at 10:14 GMT
World number 120 Ben Hancorn was the shock package in Group I at the WST Pro Series event in Milton Keynes as he won six matches out of seven to progress to the last 32. Lyu Haotian finished runner-up in the section to seal his progress as world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan toiled with the random nature of the best-of-three frame fixtures in finishing bottom on frame difference.
Ronnie O'Sullivan | Players Championship
Image credit: Eurosport
World number 120 Ben Hancorn won six straight matches to breeze through to the WST Pro Series last 32, including a confidence-boosting victory over world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan.
The former English amateur champion lost his group I opener 2-1 to Tom Ford before embarking on a winning streak that started with a 2-1 win over O'Sullivan, who made a knock of 141 in the second frame but still lost.
Further wins against Jamie Wilson, David Lilley, Chen Zifan and Mark Joyce secured his progress, but a final 2-0 win over Lyu Haotian that included a 78 break saw Hancorn win the section on frame difference from Lyu, who also ended Monday on 18 points.
Bristolian Hancorn and world number 47 Lyu will face Mark Williams, Ali Carter, Martin O'Donnell, Louis Heathcote, James Cahill and Sunny Akani in Group 1 of the second phase on Wednesday in Milton Keynes.
“It didn’t go well in my first match, I lost 2-1 and I thought here we go again," said Hancorn.
Then I played Ronnie and what can I say, I was so happy with that match and how I played. The pressure is unbelievable. I’ve never experienced anything like it.
"Holding it together stood me in good stead for the rest of the day. It’s amazing what one match can do, it can turn any player around.
“I started the season ok, I won a couple of matches. I thought that it would take a bit of time to bed in and get used to the situation. Then I went on a run where I was struggling to win frames, let alone matches.
"The format of this event suited me, it’s quick and it is only best of three. Anything can happen and I’m just glad to come out on top.”
O'Sullivan was docked a frame for arriving late to face Joyce before producing breaks of 98, 48 and 50 to win 2-1 in only 13 minutes and 56 seconds.
He will turn his attention to the Tour Championship, the penultimate event before he defends his world title next month, which begins at Celtic Manor in Wales on Monday.
The first group stage concludes on Tuesday with world number one Judd Trump and six-times world finalist Jimmy White in Group O.
The second group stage begins on Wednesday with 32 qualifiers from 16 groups making up four more groups of eight.
The final group will be contested between the top two from each group on Sunday 21 March.
WST Pro Series last-32 qualifiers
- Jack Lisowski
- Luca Brecel
- Luo Honghao
- Zhou Yeulong
- Shaun Murphy
- Louis Heathcote
- Zhao Xintong
- Dominic Dale
- Stuart Bingham
- Sam Craigie
- Martin O'Donnell
- Lu Ning
- Kyren Wilson
- Sunny Akani
- Joe Perry
- Xiao Guodong
- Oliver Lines
- James Cahill
- Ali Carter
- Mark Davis
- Ben Woollaston
- Fergal O'Brien
- Barry Hawkins
- Ricky Walden
- Mark Williams
- Robert Milkins
- Mark Selby
- Stuart Carrington
- Ben Hancorn
- Lyu Haotian
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