Tour Championship: Ronnie O'Sullivan leads Stuart Bingham; Mark Selby beaten by Neil Robertson
Ronnie O'Sullivan produced a near-perfect session of snooker to lead Stuart Bingham 6-2 at the halfway stage of their quarter-final match in Llandudno.
Fresh from his recent Players Championship victory and 1000th career century, O'Sullivan maintained his fine form with another breathtaking display to leave Bingham facing a heavy defeat.
The writing was on the wall as soon as O'Sullivan began with a break of 111 in frame one before The Rocket quickly doubled his lead.
Bingham, victorious at the Gibraltar Open last week, responded in kind and a break of 90 was enough for him to level the scores at 2-2 at the mid-session interval.
However, that would be Bingham's last moment of cheer on an otherwise frustrating evening as O'Sullivan dominated thereafter, another century in frame six extending his lead to 4-2.
Bingham was handed a good chance to stop the rot in frame eight but a missed black off the spot, one of a few from Bingham on the night, put paid to any thoughts of a comeback and O'Sullivan did the rest to ensure he takes a 6-2 lead into Wednesday night's concluding session.
Robertson comeback downs Selby
Neil Robertson produced an inspired comeback to come from 6-2 behind to beat Mark Selby 9-8.
Having started the evening session with a healthy four-frame advantage, Selby had to sit and suffer as Robertson staged a remarkable counter attack to win five frames on the bounce and take the lead at 7-6.
That lead appeared certain to extend to 8-6 when Robertson left Selby needing two snookers to get back into frame 14, only for the latter to do just that with some masterful safety play.
It still required a stunning long red to the green pocket from tight off the black cushion to set up a frame-winning clearance which Selby completed in typically nerveless fashion.
With the momentum pendulum having swung back in his favour, Selby won frame 15 to edge back in front at 8-7 before Robertson set up a decider with a magnificent clearance of 135.
A scrappy final frame, littered with long safety exchanges lasted over an hour and went down to the final black, Selby having two goes at attempted doubles before Robertson eventually potted to middle from tight off the cushion.
The opening session in the afternoon saw Selby produce a performance something close to the best form he has been searching for all season.
Robertson initially raced into a 2-0 lead courtesy of breaks of 88 and 110 but Selby wasn't perturbed, responding with two centuries of his own - 109 and 117 - to level the scores at 2-2 at the mid-session interval.
It was one-way traffic upon the resumption as Selby produced a flawless display of snooker, surging into a 4-2 lead before Robertson looked sure to stop the rot when making a break of 61 in frame seven.
However, the recent Welsh Open hero was left to rue a missed pink when close to winning the frame and Selby was quick to pounce on the error, clearing up in ruthless fashion before ending the session with another century break, his third of the afternoon.
They would prove to be in vain, however, as it was Roberston who booked his place in the last four after a dramatic conclusion to an enthralling encounter.
Trump and Williams locked together
Judd Trump and Mark Williams produced an absorbing first session in their quarter-final clash and will resume on Wednesday afternoon locked together at 4-4.
It was Williams who started the brighter, taking a scrappy opening frame, before a typically fluent century break from Trump helped him inch into the lead at 2-1.
Breaks of 99 and 66 in frames four and five were good enough to see Williams get his nose back in front but a well-taken run of 75 from Trump levelled the scores once again at 3-3.
The see-saw nature of the afternoon continued as the final two frames of the session where shared, leaving the match perfectly poised as the players shook hands.
Tuesday 19 March Afternoon Session (1300 - ITV4)
- Neil Robertson 2-6 Mark Selby
- Judd Trump 4-4 Mark Williams
Tuesday 19 March Evening Session (1900- ITV4)
- Neil Robertson 9-8 Mark Selby
- Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-2 Stuart Bingham