O'SULLIVAN COMES GOOD TO HALT HOLT
10/12/2007 17:58:00

Ronnie O'Sullivan survived some nervous moments to get the better of Michael Holt at the Maplin UK Championship.

Three-times UK Champion O'Sullivan looked in trouble when he trailed 6-5 to world No 24 Holt, but the Rocket recovered to win the last four frames for a 9-6 victory. He goes through to the last 16 to face Mark King.

Nottingham's Holt won the first three frames today with a top break of 62. Chigwell's O'Sullivan then stopped the rot with a 50 to make it 6-6, then edged a scrappy 13th frame to go ahead.

In the next, O'Sullivan made 68 before accidently knocking the pink in, trying to pot a red. That gave Holt a chance to snatch it and he got to the last green before missing a tough long pot. O'Sullivan capitalised to go 8-6 up and completed victory in the next with 46 and 25.

The Rocket has not won a ranking title for almost three years, but has been in consistent form this season, reaching the final of the Royal London Watches Grand Prix and winning the Premier League. "I have to improve but I wouldn't count myself out," said the 32-year-old.

"I didn't play well at the Grand Prix but I still got to the final. My long game is non-existent, any pot over 5 feet is a real problem. That's been the same for ages. It turned out tough today but I hung in there. It's frustrating, I can't get the same satisfaction from the game if I can't dominate."