London, April 26 (AFP\/APP): Ronnie O’Sullivan suffered an extraordinary collapse as he was knocked out of this year’s edition by Luca Brecel on Wednesday, after beating Mark Williams to set up a quarter-final with the seven-time world champion.<\/p>\n
Reigning title-holder O’Sullivan resumed 10-6 ahead only to lose seven frames in a row as Belgium’s Brecel, ranked tenth in the world, recorded a 13-10 victory at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre.<\/p>\n
“Before the tournament I was out partying and staying up late until 6 or 7am, playing FIFA with my friends, having drinks and not practising,” Brecel, 28, told the BBC.<\/p>\n
“Even after I beat Mark Williams I got home at 7am by car, and that same day we went out again until five or six in the morning,” the world number 10 added.<\/p>\n
“I was drunk as hell. The next day I had to drive back up again, so it’s a totally different preparation.”<\/p>\n
The 47-year-old O’Sullivan, bidding to win a modern-day record eighth world title, failed to make a single break over 30 as Brecel rallied to set up a last-four clash with either Scotland’s Anthony McGill or China’s Si Jiahui.<\/p>\n
– ‘Incredible’ –<\/p>\n
O’Sullivan said Brecel had played an “unbelievable” match, with the Englishman adding: “His cue action, he gets through the ball so well. It’s incredible.<\/p>\n
The whip he gets on the white, the top spin, the thud he hits the ball with.<\/p>\n
“He’s such a dynamic player, probably the most talented snooker player I’ve ever seen.<\/p>\n
“I’d love to see him go and win it because that’s how snooker should be played. He’s a phenomenal talent and player.”<\/p>\n
Few might have given much for Brecel’s chances of overturning a four-frame deficit, but the 28-year-old winner of two major ranking tournaments insisted he’d always had confidence in his ability.<\/p>\n
“It was a great feeling to play like that. I know that if the balls go well for me I can easily win seven frames in a row even against Ronnie, so I am not surprised,” Brecel said.<\/p>\n
Brecel capitalized on O’Sullivan somehow missing a black off its spot with a clearance of 112 before another error by ‘The Rocket’ in the next frame was punished with a break of 64.<\/p>\n
O’Sullivan’s lead was eventually reduced to 10-9 before Brecel drew level with a break of 72.<\/p>\n
Any thoughts the mid-session interval might disrupt Brecel’s rhythm, evaporated as he made breaks of 61, 78 and 63 to complete a remarkable comeback.<\/p>\n
“If it was a boxing match they would have stopped it very early on,” said O’Sullivan.<\/p>\n
“I was just pinching frames and hanging on.”<\/p>\n
“There’s only so much hanging on you can do at the Crucible. It catches up with you at some point, and someone will eventually put you away.”<\/p>\n
Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen reached the semi-finals for just the second time in his career with a grueling 13-10 win over qualifier Jak Jones where he made just one break over 70.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
London, April 26 (AFP\/APP): Ronnie O’Sullivan suffered an extraordinary collapse as he was knocked out of this year’s edition by Luca Brecel on Wednesday, after beating Mark Williams to set up a quarter-final with the seven-time world champion. Reigning title-holder O’Sullivan resumed 10-6 ahead only […]<\/p>\n
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