'Rocket' approaches final after six-frame streak at snooker worlds
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E-mail Xinhua, May 5, 2012
Ronnie O'Sullivan moved closer to the World Championship final on Friday after he grabbed another six-frame victories in a row to establish a 11-5 lead over Matthew Stevens in their second session.
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| Ronnie O'Sullivan grabbed six-frame victories in a row to establish a 11-5 lead over Matthew Stevens in their second session. [qq.com] |
Under the best of 33 frames, O'Sullivan, three-time winner of the yearly biggest tournament, only needed six more frame wins in the two remaining sessions tomorrow to book his fourth final in the Crucible Theatre.
The nicknamed "Rocket", who opened the lead 5-3 after the first session, continued his scintillating form highlighted by two century breaks of 110 and 113 and won six consecutive frames, a feat that the English veteran has achieved in every round of the 2012 championship so far.
Though the result seemingly proved a lop-sided match, it was Stevens who regained momentum in the afternoon by winning the first two frames, drawing level with the "Rocket" at 5-5 after a break of 60 and a brilliant 63 clearance.
But the offensive-minded O'Sullivan re-established the lead with a break of 62 and then his first century of the session to lead 7-5.
Then, the ruthless 37-year-old kept in top gear to clinch another three frames by hitting successive breaks, leaving no room for the Welsh Dragon.
The world No. 13 sealed the session with another crispy century in the ending frame to put one foot in the final before Saturday's conclusion.
In the other semifinal, Allister Carter led Stephen Maguire 14- 10 after the third-session battle. They will fight for a final ticket in the conclusion on Saturday afternoon.
