Championship League snooker: Ronnie O'Sullivan wins all nine frames on return to top group

O'Sullivan became the first player so far to win all nine frames across his three games, proving much too good for Kishan Hirani, Michael Georgiou, and Chris Wakelin in Group 15.

Any notion that Hirani might catch him cold was quickly case aside courtesy of an opening century, and a few hours later it was Wakelin who was strapped to his chair as O'Sullivan waltzed through to the next round with breaks of 97 and 93.

In-between, breaks of 116, 82 and 80 saw him demolish Georgiou, who registered just 22 points, and O'Sullivan had no trouble going on to seal his place alongside young Harvey Chandler in Group C of the second stage.

Sporting a new moustache on his first public appearance since February, O'Sullivan began with a 112 clearance in the first frame en route to a 3-0 victory over a dazed and confused Hirani.

It may not have quite been vintage Ronnie - he needed two bites of the cherry in frame one and a couple more on his way to a frame-winning half-century in frame two - yet it was still familiar, still comforting, to watch him glide around the table and make the complicated appear quite simple.

The break to win the first frame and set the tone was exactly that, a regimented knock which became extravagant towards the end, as a cannon to release pink and black ensured that he could register the 1046th century of his career.

Hirani tried his best to keep things tight and compact, but O'Sullivan bashed in a long red to start the second frame and demonstrate that if you want to beat him by submission, you'd better get that cue ball to the top cushion.

Although O'Sullivan missed a mid-length red when stretching, stubbornly refusing to walk five paces for his rest under new Covid-19 regulations, he was soon back at the table and breezing to a break of 52 and a 2-0 lead.

Hirani now needed to win both remaining frames to escape with a point and he had a chance to take the first of them, only to miss when spreadeagling the reds. O'Sullivan was fortunate not to go in-off in potting his opener, but from there it appeared nothing more than the sort of practice routine he appears to have been sticking to over the last few months.

A heavy contact saw his run end at 65, but Hirani couldn't take his final lifeline it as O'Sullivan won with plenty to spare.

There was better still to come against Georgiou, who had been readily beaten by Wakelin before O'Sullivan further limited his table time with an even more fluid display than he'd produced earlier against Hirani.

After Wakelin shared the spoils with Hirani, that left O'Sullivan needing just a point from their concluding match, and though the former had chances in the opening frame, the result was beyond doubt from the moment O'Sullivan took it.

From there he was electric, breaks of 97 and 93 sending him into the second week with purpose - and a flawless record to defend.

Ford focus

On the second table, Tom Ford marked himself out as a dangerman with an impressive set of performances of his own, dropping just one frame to win Group 15.

Ford beat both Ian Burns and Mike Dunn 3-0, signing off with a 130 break against the latter, before a 3-1 victory over Robert Milkins.

Friday's results and tables

Group 10

1. Ronnie O’Sullivan P 3 W 3 L 0 D 0 FD +9 Pts 9
2. Chris Wakelin P 3 W 1 L 1 D 1 FD +0 Pts 4
3. Kishan Hirani P 3 W 1 L 1 D 1 FD -1 Pts 4
4. Michael Georgiou P 3 W 0 L 3 D 0 FD -8 Pts 0

Ronnie O'Sullivan 3-0 Kishan Hirani

Chris Wakelin 3-0 Michael Georgiou

Chris Wakelin 2-2 Kishan Hirani

Ronnie O'Sullivan 3-0 Michael Georgiou

Michael Georgiou 1-3 Kishan Hirani

Ronnie O'Sullivan 3-0 Chris Wakelin

Group 15

1. Tom Ford P 3 W 3 L 0 D 0 FD +8 Pts 9
2. Robert Milkins P 3 W 1 L 1 D 1 FD +1 Pts 4
3. Ian Burns P 3 W 1 L 1 D 1 FD -1 Pts 4
4. Mike Dunn P 3 W 0 L 3 D 0 FD -8 Pts 0

Robert Milkins 3-0 Mike Dunn

Tom Ford 3-0 Ian Burns

Tom Ford 3-0 Mike Dunn

Robert Milkins 2-2 Ian Burns

Tom Ford 3-1 Robert Milkins

Mike Dunn 1-3 Ian Burns