Williams and O’Sullivan Slug It Out
China Open Champion, Mark Williams and World Number One, Ronnie O’Sullivan have certainly lived up to their billing as ‘Tie of the Round’ in the first two sessions.
When the boys get back on the baize today, we expect a Crucible-Classic finish.
Both players are showing huge amounts of respect for their opponents.
These two played in Junior Home Internationals against each other, 20 years ago and their careers have inter-twined ever since.
O’Sullivan is 22-17 ahead in ranking tournament victories and 3-2 up on Crucible titles, but Williams is one of the toughest opponents of any era, and will be keen to settle a score after losing out to O’Sullivan at this stage two years ago.
They went into the final session on that occasion with The Rocket leading 9-7. Williams had let chances slip in the first two and arguably should have led by the same scoreline.
The final session was vintage Ronnie, as he reeled off the four required frames before the interval including his third Crucible maximum 147.
That was the earliest stage of Williams’ return to peak-form, and he looked at times to be lacking in the killer instinct and inner-confidence that took saw him do the BBC-Slam in 2002/03.
There is no doubting that he is back to his best after winning in China earlier this month, and if he gets the chance to finish off the match he will be sure to take it.
O’Sullivan himself has looked on the verge of his untouchable best during the first week. At times against Williams and in his first match against Liang Wenbo, his game looks as sharp as ever, and he really does look unbeatable.
However, he is dogged by a sudden tendency to lose concentration and become distracted at best and disinterested at worst, making him vulnerable to defeat.
If he can keep his mind on the job, many would consider the outcome of the tournament a foregone conclusion, but only O’Sullivan knows what is really going on inside his ‘genius’ mind.
Watch this space…
