2024 Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters: Ronnie O'Sullivan battles back to win last 16 epic

The seven-time World Champion breezed through his opening match at the Green Halls on Tuesday, but knew he was likely to face a far sterner test against Zhang 24 hours later - an opponent who had defeated him in their two most recent meetings.

Zhang’s transformation from a middle-ranked steady cueist to a ranking event winner and top 16 star within just 12 months has been remarkable. During his first match in the Saudi capital, Zhang won 5-0 with four century breaks, including a hat-trick of 138s.

The 32-year-old from China carried that sort of form into his latest tie with O’Sullivan on Wednesday night, producing almost faultless snooker as he made breaks of 67, 77 and 66 in taking a 3-0 lead.

The world number 12 got in again, early on in frame four, but an unexpected missed pot on a red into a middle pocket proved to be a memorable turning point in the tie.

Despite having been largely frozen out, O’Sullivan pounced and punished with an effort of 64 that left Zhang needing penalty points. He later completed the finishing touches to get on the scoreboard.

After the mid-session interval, the 48-year-old’s recovery continued, and as Zhang’s level dipped, he capitalised with back-to-back breaks of 109 to level up at 3-3.

Momentum swung again, though, as Zhang went back ahead with frame seven (breaks of 51 and 54), but O’Sullivan responded with 63 and 62 in frame eight for 4-4.

A resilient and calm Zhang continued to stand up to the scrutiny in front of a very partisan, but respectful, crowd, and aided by a couple of bits of good fortune in frame nine, a break of 52 got him across the line and on the hill at 5-4 up.

With his back to the wall, O’Sullivan potted a long red straight from Zhang’s break-off and crafted a flowing 87 to deservedly force the contest all the way.

In the deciding frame, with the cue ball near the top cushion, O’Sullivan sank a fantastic red into the green pocket and proceeded to make a frame and match winning contribution of 78, capping a splendid spectacle which will likely be a ‘match of the season’ contender.

For his third match in succession this week, O’Sullivan will face a Chinese opponent next up in the quarter-finals, this time Si Jiahui, who pipped compatriot Pang Junxu, 6-5.

Pang took control of the match as he went 3-0 up (55 break, frame one) but German Masters finalist Si turned things around with a five-frame winning streak that included runs of 70 and 138.

Again, though, momentum swung back; Pang stopped the sequence with frame nine as he was assisted by a 78 break before taking the tie all the way to an eleventh and final frame.

In the decider, Pang got in first with a break of 37 but missed a red into the pink pocket and left it near the hole. Si countered with a 52 but was unable to develop the final red off the top cushion - which was somewhat obstructed by the black - to make the contribution a decisive one.

However, returning to the table, Pang played a poor safety shot and left Si a chance on the red, who potted what he needed to cue a concession from his opponent.

World Champion Kyren Wilson exits Riyadh

Reigning World Champion Kyren Wilson will play no further part in this new £2.3 million ranking event as he was eliminated by world number 52 Jimmy Robertson, 6-4.

Wilson arrived in the Middle East in great form having won the Xi’an Grand Prix in China last month and with ambitions of climbing to the world number one spot for the first time in his career. He led twice early on (breaks of 73 and 57), before the pair went into a break at 2-2. Robertson then led twice, but was pegged back each time.

At 4-4, and the nitty gritty juncture of the match, Robertson went one up with two to play before a run of 73 in frame ten gave the former European Masters champion one of the best results of his career.

There may have been an added sweetness for Robertson having been pipped by Wilson in the last 16 of the recent event in Xi’an in a deciding frame.

It has been a difficult few years on tour for Robertson, but the £50,000 he is now guaranteed suggests he has definitely turned a corner. His victory today was his fifth in this tournament in as many days. On Tuesday in the last 32, he sent home John Higgins.

In a meeting of world champions, Mark Williams defeated Stuart Bingham 6-2 to set up a quarter-final tie with Robertson on Thursday night.

Both players had come through deciding frame finishes the evening before, and it was Bingham who claimed the opening frame with the help of a 72 break.

Despite Bingham making a 61 and 56 in frames two and three respectively, Williams (71 break - frame three) took both to go ahead, although Bingham went into the interval at 2-2 after securing the fourth (68 break).

However, on resumption, world number nine Williams strung together four consecutive frames, racking up efforts of 77 (frame seven) and 64 (frame eight) in the process.

For the draw, results and other important details, please visit our 2024 Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters Tournament Information Centre, here.