Ronnie O'Sullivan was far too good for Nigel Bond in their first meeting this century as he cruised into round two of the European Masters.
The Rocket last faced Bond in the semi-finals of the 1998 Scottish Open and unfortunately for the 56-year-old, time still hasn't really taken its toll on the genius that kept him in his chair for most of the evening.
O'Sullivan, who holds a 100% record over Bond, won four of their six prior matches by 6-5 scorelines but this always looked as though it would be one-way traffic as soon as he opened up with a break of 82.
A whitewash was on the cards at 3-0 only for Bond to hit back in frame four but any hopes of a revival were swiftly crushed when O'Sullivan produced a majestic break of 132 to take his astonishing career tally of centuries to 1,135.
However, the sight of a Rocket century never wares off for snooker fans - even on a Monday night in Milton Keynes - and the sight of one very appreciative young supporter in the audience shows how his brilliance transcends all generations.
Ronnie O'Sullivan's 1135th career century was probably the first that happy little lad in the audience has seen live.
— Chris Hammer (@ChrisHammer180) February 21, 2022
Another example of how his greatness resonates with fans of every generation - even in Milton Keynes on a Monday night.pic.twitter.com/MCTuwBwQzK
