O'SULLIVAN STORMS INTO SEMIS
13/12/2007 20:02:00

Ronnie O'Sullivan scored another resounding victory at the Maplin UK Championship to progress to the semi-finals.

The Rocket followed up on his 9-1 win over Mark King with a 9-2 hammering of Jamie Cope to earn his sixth UK semi. He won the event in 1993, 1997 and 2001 and will take some stopping if he is to be denied a fourth title.

It's been 33 months since O'Sullivan won a ranking title, but so impressive is his current form surely that his drought cannot go on for long. He faces Mark Selby for a place in Sunday's final in Telford.

Leading 6-2 after the first session, O'Sullivan opened tonight with a break of 82. He was on for a 147 in the next - which would have equalled Stephen Hendry's career record of eight maximums - but narrowly failed to double the final red to a centre pocket on 112. Runs of 47 and 32 in frame 11 completed the rout.

"My break-building has been very good this season and my long potting is coming together," said 32-year-old O'Sullivan. "I managed to mount sustained pressure on Jamie and force the openings. I was disappointed not go get the 147, but if I start cueing well, there's no reason why I can't make one.

"I like the way Jamie plays, he's free-flowing and carefree. I'm the oldest player left in the tournament so maybe I just had a bit more expereince.

"The crowds have been fantastic here all week and we get a good reception. Other players tend to raise their games when there's a good crowd - that's what I was like when I was a kid taking on a top player, because I knew I had to produce. I always expect my opponents to play well against me."

When asked about his long wait for a ranking title, O'Sullivan added: "It will end soon if I play decent snooker but there are some great players about. It's just nice to be part of the tournament and to be able to enjoy it."

Nearly four hours after O'Sullivan's match finished, Selby joined him the last four with a hard-fought 9-7 defeat of Royal London Watches Grand Prix champion Marco Fu.

Crucible runner-up Selby won the first three frames tonight to go 7-4 up, making breaks of 59, 49 and 65. Hong Kong's Fu won the next with a 132 then Selby rolled in 59 for 8-5.

Runs of 53 and 67 saw Fu pull back to 8-7. The next frame broke the record for the longest ever televised frame, lasting 77 minutes 31 seconds. It came down to the colours and finally ended when Fu, needing a snooker on the blue, failed to escape from a snooker himself and a relieved Selby knocked in the blue.

"I knew I would break some records in snooker - but I'm not sure that's one I want!" said world No 11 Selby. "I didn't really get a chance in the previous two frames, then when it looked like going 8-8 the nerves started to set in, so I was pleased to get over the line.

"Marco is a great player and winning the Grand Prix has given him self belief so I knew he would be dangerous. I know I need to play a lot better against Ronnie so I'll be on the practice table tomorrow. To get to the semis of the second biggest ranking event is a great achievement."