Ronnie O'Sullivan overcame home favourite James Wattana to top his Six Reds World Championship group with maximum points in Thailand.
The Rocket is making his debut in this invitational tournament, which was first held back in 2008 but not since 2019, and after opening up with a 5-3 victory over Jimmy Robertson on Tuesday, he maintained his perfect record by defeating English teenager Stan Moody 5-2 before rounding off his Group G campaign with a 5-2 success against a player he first met way back in 1993.
Wattana, 53, still qualifies for the 16-player knockout stage as the group's runner-up having also beaten Robertson and 16-year-old Moody earlier in the event so their paths could cross again in the quarter-finals.
O'Sullivan's 71 in frame four was the highest break of the event so far but it was quite a fortunate fluke to say the least which sealed the victory.
Recalling his first meeting with Wattana in Thailand in 1993, OβSullivan said: βI played James out here when he was at his peak and was in his prime.
βI played him in a match and we had to stop for the adverts. He was in them all β Nescafe and Thai Airways. I was sitting there thinking, this geezer is unbelievable.β
βWhen he was in his prime, he couldnβt go anywhere. He needed security and a police escort. He has been massive for Thai snooker.β
Wattana will face Chinaβs Zhang Anda in the last 16 of the competition while OβSullivan will take on Ding Junhui.
Mark Williams secured the two wins he needed to reach the last 16 where he will now face Judd Trump, who finished top of Group D after a 5-4 win over Mai Hai Long.
Six Reds Tournament Format & Results So Far
- The first round consists of eight groups of four players, and runs from March 6-8.
- Each group match is best of 11 frames, with the winner receiving one point and the loser none.
- The top two players in each group will advance to the knockout stage. If players are level on points, frame difference comes into play.
- The last 16 and quarter-finals are both best of 11 frames and take place on March 9.
- The semi-final will be the best of 13 frames and take place on Friday March 10. The final will be the best of 15 frames on Saturday March 11.
Six Reds Group A
- Ding Junhui 5β2 Stephen Maguire
- Zhang Anda 5β2 Mink Nutcharut
- Zhang Anda 5β2 Stephen Maguire
- Ding Junhui 5β2 Mink Nutcharut
- Zhang Anda 5β0 Ding Junhui
- Stephen Maguire 5β0 Mink Nutcharut
Zhang Anda (1st) and Ding Junhui (2nd) progress
Six Reds Group B
- Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 5β0 Jimmy White
- Tom Ford 5β1 Zhou Yuelong
- Zhou Yuelong 5β1 Jimmy White
- Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 5β3 Tom Ford
- Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 5β2 Zhou Yuelong
- Jimmy White 5-3 Tom Ford
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (1st) and Tom Ford (2nd) progress
Six Reds Group C
- John Higgins 5β2 Ken Doherty
- Hossein Vafaei 5β2 Poramin Danjirakul
- Hossein Vafaei 5β1 John Higgins
- Pormin Danjirakul 5β3 Ken Doherty
- John Higgins 5β0 Poramin Danjirakul
- Hossein Vafaei 5β1 Ken Doherty
Hossein Vafaei (1st) and John Higgins (2nd) progress
Six Reds Group D
- Judd Trump 5β0 Ricky Walden
- Ma Hai Long 5β3 Kritsanut Lertsattayathorn
- Judd Trump 5β4 Kritsanut Lertsattayathorn
- Ricky Walden 5β1 Ma Hailong
- Judd Trump 5β4 Ma Hailong
- Ricky Walden 5β4 Kritsanut Lertsattayathorn
Judd Trump (1st) and Ricky Walden (2nd) progress
Six Reds Group E
- Robert Milkins 5β2 Matthew Selt
- Chris Wakelin 5β4 Dechawat Poomjaeng
- Chris Wakelin 5β4 Matthew Selt
- Dechawat Poomjaeng 5β0 Robert Milkins
- Chris Wakelin 5β3 Robert Milkins
- Matthew Selt 5-3 Dechawat Poomjaeng
Chris Wakelin (1st) and Dechawat Poomjaeng (2nd) progress
Six Reds Group F
- Joe Perry 5β1 Mark Williams
- Andres Petrov 5β3 Sunny Akani
- Mark Williams 5-4 Sunny Akani
- Joe Perry 5-3 Andres Petrov
- Mark Williams 5-2 Andres Petrov
- Joe Perry 5-3 Sunny Akani
Joe Perry (1st) and Mark Williams (2nd) progress
Six Reds Group G
- Noppon Saengkham 5β4 Jordan Brown
- Stuart Bingham 5β1 Mahoud El Hareedy
- Stuart Bingham 5β2 Jordan Brown
- Noppon Saengkham 5β1 Mahoud El Hareedy
- Jordan Brown 5β2 Mahoud El Hareedy
- Stuart Bingham 5β2 Noppon Saengkham
Stuart Bingham (1st) and Noppon Saengkham (2nd) progress
Six Reds Group H
- Ronnie O'Sullivan 5β3 Jimmy Robertson
- James Wattana 5β1 Stan Moody
- Ronnie O'Sullivan 5β2 Stan Moody
- James Wattana 5β4 Jimmy Robertson
- Jimmy Robertson 5-2 Stan Moody
- Ronnie O'Sullivan 5β2 James Wattana
Ronnie O'Sullivan (1st) and James Wattana (2nd) progress
Knockout Stages
In draw bracket order
Last 16 (March 9)
- Zhang Anda v James Wattana
- Thepchaiya Un-Nooh v Dechawat Poomjaeng
- Hossein Vafaei v Noppon Saengkham
- Judd Trump v Mark Williams
- Chris Wakelin v Tom Ford
- Joe Perry v John Higgins
- Stuart Bingham v Ricky Walden
- Ronnie O'Sullivan v Ding Junhui
Quarter-Finals (March 9)
Semi-Finals (March 10)
Final (March 11)
- Winner SF 1 v Winner SF 2