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Sunday, 16 February, 2003, 15:41 GMT
O'Sullivan sails through
O'Sullivan looked on course for a 147 break
Ronnie O'Sullivan delivered a potting masterclass as he trounced Wembley debutant Joe Perry 6-1 to cruise into the third round. The world number one saw Perry sneak the first frame by a point on the black but thereafter took full command. O'Sullivan was on course for a 147 in the second until he missed the final red but followed up with a 96 and another century in the next two frames. The interval broke his momentum but there was never any danger of an upset as he rattled off the next three frames. "[The final red] probably looked easier on television than it really was," he said. "I was hindered by the green. If I hadn't been I fancied my chances. "Given the choice of a 147 or being out of the tournament I'd want to stay in."
Second-round result: R O'Sullivan (Eng) 6-1 J Perry (Eng)
Steve Davis took his time before securing a second-round match against John Higgins with a 6-4 win over Joe Swail. Swail threw away a 58-0 lead in the third frame when a fluked red set up Davis for a frame-winning break of 68 and a 2-1 lead. Swail fought back but a 76 break saw Davis regain the lead, only for Swail to take the next frame with a 92 break. Neither player had won two frames in a row and it looked sure to go to the wire until Davis went 51 points ahead and cleared up to reach round two. In form "I'd have kicked myself if I'd lost that, I had the better chances," Davis said. "That was an example of a player in a bit of form against a player who's a bit out of form. "Maybe he lacked confidence and my tail was up. "The only thing wrong was I missed some easy shots. That can be debilitating if you let it get to you."
First round result: J Swail (NI) 4-6 S Davis (Eng)
Stephen Lee hardly lived up to his status as the Snooker Writers' Association Player of the Year against Quinten Hann, but still ground out a 6-4 win. The first three frames were unspectacular before Hann racked up a break of 122 to take the fourth, faltering with the pink and black left. He then fell just short of another ton with a break of 93 to go 4-3 up, the first time either man had won two in a row. Despite Hann's high scores, Lee proved the more durable and held on to win. But the world number eight admitted he had to sweat for his win, saying of his opponent: "He had his sensible head on and made things difficult for me. "I gave him a few chances and he played some very good safety shots," Lee said afterwards.
First round result: S Lee (Eng) 6-4 Q Hann (Aus) |
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