Ronnie O'Sullivan and Neil Robertson in Prime Performances | 2022 Hong Kong Masters SF Session 2

That was a terrific use of both yellow and blue. Deliberately finding the cover. Maybe try to rest on the red by the black. Oh, and it couldn't have finished worse. So Neil Robertson, easy starter. A few loose reds to pick off. Eight, nine. Robertson too. He always press on. Wants to win going away from his opponents. So this is a concerning juncture of the match. Fifteen. Sixteen. Twenty-two. Twenty-seven. Twenty-eight. Thirty-five. Thirty-six. Forty-one. Forty-two. Forty-eight. Forty-nine. Fifty-six. Fifty-seven. Sixty-four. Seventy. Seventy-one. Seventy-eight. Seventy-nine. Eighty-five. Eighty-six. Ninety-three. One hundred and one. One hundred and eight. One hundred and thirteen. One hundred and seventeen. One hundred and twenty-two. One hundred and twenty-eight. Forty-nine. Forty-eight. Sixty. Fourteen. Sixteen. Nineteen. Twenty-three. Forty-four. Forty-five. Forty-six. Forty-seven. Yeah, it's causing a bit of a problem. Just a wee bit straight in the black as well and awkward. It's with it. He wants to play the pink. It's normal players you'd call very missable. But the stroke that he's in, no problem whatsoever. Eight. There's a little measurer. Yeah, good job. That'll do. Fifteen. Yeah, no issue there whatsoever with the red. Just approaching the stage of the break that's going to be crucial, isn't it? Finding a way into the pack of reds. Twenty-three. Twenty-four. Playing for choice of brown or yellow because it's easy access to the choice of two reds. Twenty-six. Twenty-seven. It looks a beautiful pack this to go into. I wonder if he might release the cue ball to the left cushion. Yeah. Oh, wow. You play a cannon, you take your eye off the pot too many times. Near Robinson. Twenty-seven. Four hundred and forty-three points without reply. But that ends there. Now, more importantly, is this the start of the comeback? One. Six. Seven. Yes, that glance at the black there. So he's considering playing on it off this next red. It would be a risk. Obviously, he doesn't have to. Wrong side of straight. All of a sudden, it'd be wise to just wait it out. Thirteen. Eighteen. Not bad. We know what he's like as a break builder. Almost the black being in bulk doesn't look right to him, so he wants to get it back in its spot. Obviously, that does make break building easier. Thirty-four. This is a nice target, though, spinning at two cushions. He's played it pretty much to the inch. Forty. Forty-one. Forty-six. He was out in the cold in this match, wasn't he? Fifty-four. Fifty-five. Sullivan needs this red, and he's pulled one back. He's still in trouble, but it was looking like 5-1 at one point. Sixty-six. Sixty-eight. Seventy-one. Seventy-five. Eighteen. Eighty-six. Is this the start of the sustained comeback? Ninety-three from Ronnie O'Sullivan. Neil Robertson's lead, 4-2 here in Hong Kong. He's still in front, of course, at 4-2. He's made three successive centuries, but such is the standard. It's just one mistake that's been costly, and he's fully aware from experience that you don't want to give O'Sullivan any sort of chances. And that was a chance from the break-off, and he's knocked it in. One. Six. Oh, that piece of control. Push the offending red out the way. Fifty. Twenty-two. Twenty-three. In the frame, got to figure out a way of getting the bunch open. Thirty. Thirty-eight. He was about half an inch lower than that the last time and didn't like it, so he waited and thought, no, I'll get it next time. Yeah, what a shot it was, honestly. Brilliant shot. Thirty-nine. Of course, this time he doesn't really have an out ball. Forty-four. For the next red, if this goes in. So, position is all important. Needs to slow up. Forty-five. A wee bit surprised there. I thought he may have played up blue or bolt colour, just for options. Yellow ball. So, yellow to side cushion. Borneo Salford. Forty-five. Robertson, you know, relieved that his break-off shot didn't cost him the frame, which could have happened. Oh. It's that sort of match, isn't it? You know, they're just going for them, and that was tough. Sort of occasion, I think, brings out the best in the top players, this big crowd, big tournament, big match. But the fact is, he didn't get the red, he left a chance, and O'Sullivan is in again. Six. Perhaps not for long, though. Wasn't on a red there, so again, need to be patient. Borneo O'Sullivan, six. The scrappy frames could feel more significant, because five-two or four-three, it's just such a big difference. Hang on. He's actually pushed another red safe as well. Here, Robertson. One. Just try and drop the cue ball onto the bolt cushion. Get the blue on its spot. Pittel's own job here of finding, well, decent position on the next red. Six. Seven. Thirteen. Perhaps looking at using the end cushion, so it's just complicated, this. Lots of power. Close enough to get still applause. Here, Robertson. Seventeen. Ronnie, of course, needs both of the reds if he's going to win the frame this visit. Here, Robertson. Eight. Thought it was in. One. Potential is there for a double, so decided to leave the pink where it is. Far. And missed. Back we go. Oh! Referee's dropped the cue ball. The pressure's getting to everybody. No harm done. Different way here, up and down. He doesn't want to leave a free ball. Far and a miss. Might be in trouble again, but he's not left the red on. Yeah, that'll do. So advantage the Australian. Yeah, very much so. With a chance now. Eight. Ten. Thirteen. He actually might play the pot. So he'll be happy to leave the blue at distance. So an unexpected... Here, Robertson. Chance goes amiss. Yeah, a dramatic frame has become even more dramatic. Four points to leave for Robertson. This is a supreme test of your cueing. Awkward bridging. Oh, fantastic. That right there is the shot of the match. Probably going 5-2 down if he misses it. He didn't miss it. Held nicely for blue. And now needs pink to pull another one back. What a frame to win. He had the advantage. Neil Robertson had the chance on the last red to clear. As Sullivan trails by one at 4-3. 9,000 tickets have been sold. It's a sellout. It's going to be the biggest ever crowd for a live snooker match. Marco Fu of Hong Kong already there. Who's he going to play? And they've been going in. Once again, pinpoint. Chance. Perhaps to get rid of that red. Not this time. It's not a massive concern. Providing the black is on its spot. That's end of break. 13. He's almost aware, Neil, that being the professional he is, that the crowd maybe don't want to see this sort of passage of play. But there's nothing you can do about it. He couldn't quite manage it. And he's never been one to shy away from the big shot. Shaping up for this. And this is a big one. Got to go. 1. There's almost something going on when these two play each other. You don't want to take a backward step. You don't want to show a defensive weakness, if you like. Therefore, he feels he's got to play it. Once again, a huge shot. Great pot. And this is another big one. Red's spread far and wide. He was always heading to that jaw, wasn't it? 0-8. So the O'Sullivan supporters finding their voice now. 1. 6. Plenty is on to win the frame. That's for the open reds. Providing he stays on pink and black. Maybe the odd blue. 13. 18. 19. 25. 32. 33. 39. 40. 46. 47. Yeah, just checking the scoreboard. Just needs 12 points. So, no problem. 54. Well, red and a colour. 61. 62. O'Sullivan has stepped in. He needs this black. It should be four each. 69. But in goes the red. 70. 75. 76. 83. It's hard to see how this couldn't deliver with these two, but they have produced a really wonderful spectacle. 92. It's going to be 4-4 and all to play for. 105 and a frame. 5. 30. 40. Yeah, such as being the standard, it almost feels like this type of shot is largely the big shot of a frame. Get out on to a colour. Oh, and that'll do lovely. 22. Yeah, Bowness didn't know an awful lot about it, but this pink disappears. It's another gilt-edged chance. But no. No. Well, what a let-off, because to get on the pink was a result really. That missed black in frame 6 from Robertson, that was the moment it started to change. 1. He doesn't want to pot the pink just yet and tie it up in some way. He could only play that as a last resort, but the red in bulk helps him, so he can play for blue. I think at stages of matches like this, Ronnie's got one, not so much ace card over other players, because they're all awesome, but because he tends to play for performance more than winning itself. Of course he wants to win, but the occasion doesn't bother him, because he wants to entertain the crowd. Probably more so than win, and of course winning comes with performing well, so... 16. He's got to play this properly if he chooses to play on black, which he is, and that's perfect, so... 17. I think now we can safely say this is a gilt-edge chance to go back in front. 24. 25. 32. 33. 40. 41. Something pretty dramatic is going to have to go wrong for him here. It's wonderfully work-like, this, once again. 48. 49. Just because something looks easy doesn't mean that it is. We're watching here, the best there's ever been. 57. Needs one more red. So the missed pink, big mistake. And for the first time since he won the opening frame, Ronnie O'Sullivan is going to be in front. How things have turned. 70. 77. 82. 86. 91. Yet another century. What a match. And what a comeback from Ronnie O'Sullivan. 104. Clearance. He's back in front for the first time since he won the first frame. And he needs one more for victory at 5-4. 5-4 to O'Sullivan. He needs one. Robertson needs the last two. Still time for more centuries. Any mistake in any frame is a chance of beating the player's last. Now a little full ball cannon on the red. Oh, that'll do. Beautifully played. 9. 16. 17. Now, screw off the bunch, push the red towards the corner. Didn't get it as planned. And it goes wrong. I said before about that type of shot. It feels like the almost a pivotal shot in a lot of frames. He's got it. Has he? No. Well, credit to the table fitters because it pretty much stayed straight in line. Another twist. 1. 5. 6. He has the quality. He has the class. He has the talent to fight back in this frame. Wouldn't the audience love a decider? 21. He just caught the last throws of that shot. That pitch was desperately close to going in off the middle. 29. 30. 37. 38. 44. 45. Lost the cue ball two shots ago and wasn't able to recover it. And he can't get close to the next red unless he powers it round off three cushions. So, he's having to settle for something quite tricky. 50. Neuropathy. 50. Well, he went for the double to be on the black but the red spun off the knuckle. But he's deciding on the cannon. The big question is the double worth the risk? The answer is yes. Neuropathy. 6. Dare he risk the pot. No, he's going to hang off. Just try and nudge the green. Maybe. So, Ronnie's going to have everything in the open. 8. This type of situation against Ronnie. 8. Get nice on a colour and he can almost pick a spot on the next colour. That's played to absolute perfection. 9. So, now he can pick a spot to attack the last red. 13. 14. Well, the colours are all basically on their spots. So, it's really about the next couple of shots. Firstly, this red which is in without touching the sides. 20. If ever there was a man to play in front of the record crowd He's the man at the table. And he's going to go into the final assuming he does close this out now. 25. 27. 30. 34. He keeps looking at that scoreboard. He knows he needs blue and pink. It's going to be some occasion on Sunday. The most successful player from Hong Kong against the most successful player ever. Marco Fu against Ronnie O'Sullivan for the Hong Kong Masters title. Neil Robertson didn't do a lot today. It was a match of high quality. It is Ronnie O'Sullivan who beats Neil Robertson by six frames to four. He will take on Marco Fu in the final on Sunday.