Home favourite Mark Allen safely through
Defending champion and home favourite Mark Allen coasted past Chen Zifan into the third round of the Northern Ireland Open.
John Higgins Sport News
Neil Robertson battles past Fan Zhengyi at Northern Ireland Open, John Higgins wins, Jack Lisowski out
Neil Robertson battled past Fan Zhengyi to reach the third round of the Northern Ireland Open. World No. 3 Robertson did not make a 50-plus break in the match but did enough at key moments to win 4-2.
Northern Ireland Open snooker 2022 - Latest scores, results, schedule, order of play, Ronnie O'Sullivan stars
The 2022 Home Nations series kicks off with the Northern Ireland Open, with snooker's top players set to battle it out for the Alex Higgins trophy. Three-time champion Judd Trump will be hoping to reclaim the title he vacated in 2021, while Ronnie O'Sullivan, Neil Robertson, Mark Selby and John Higgins also have their eyes on the top prize.
'They are Federer, Nadal and Djokovic of snooker' – Neil Robertson hails O'Sullivan, Higgins, Williams
Neil Robertson will play his first ranking event of the season at the Northern Ireland Open on Sunday feeling blessed the sport's holy trinity are still top of the pots. The 2010 world champion faced six-time world champion Steve Davis and seven-time Crucible winner Stephen Hendry in the death throes of their competitive career, but continues to confront Class of '92 icons Ronnie O'Sullivan, John Higgins and Mark Williams in their prime.
Exclusive: Ronnie O’Sullivan on why he wants his kids to avoid snooker - 'You shut down emotions'
Ronnie O’Sullivan has repeated his claim that he does not want his children to pursue a career in snooker, saying “I just wouldn’t want my child to live that life”. O’Sullivan courted huge controversy after his comments last year – telling Eurosport he would insist his kids “don’t choose snooker” – with fellow Class of ’92 star John Higgins branding them “a disgrace”. Ad But speaking to promote his new two-hour Eurosport show Seventh Heaven, premiering on Saturday 15 October, the Rocket said that although he loved the sport, he believed the environment was not conducive to a happy life.
‘Ronnie O’Sullivan is in the same rank as Roger Federer, Lionel Messi, Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan’ – Marco Fu
Marco Fu says Ronnie O’Sullivan is in the same rank as sporting legends such as Roger Federer, Lionel Messi, Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan. Fu was beaten 6-4 by O’Sullivan in front of nearly 9,000 fans inside the Hong Kong Coliseum, which set a new record for fan attendance at a snooker match. Ad The crowd were clearly knowledgeable, clapping and cheering on the tactical and positional side of the game, as well as the long shots.
Opinion: Why Hong Kong Masters was very special showcase for Ronnie O'Sullivan and snooker's brightest stars
It would be nice to think that Ray Reardon, on his 90th birthday, switched on Eurosport on Saturday morning to see Marco Fu’s 147 break in the deciding frame of his victory over John Higgins in the semi-finals of the Hong Kong Masters. Reardon could not turn professional until he was 35 because snooker was yet to attract the attention of television and there was no money in it. That all changed in 1969 when the BBC launched Pot Black to showcase its new colour service.
'A break we weren’t expecting!' – Ronnie O’Sullivan smashes glass during Hong Kong Masters final
Snooker is all about big breaks. Unfortunately, Ronnie O’Sullivan took that a little too literally during his Hong Kong Masters final with Marco Fu after accidentally smashing a glass between frames. Ad After cleaning his cue ahead of the fourth frame, the Rocket sent his glass tumbling to the floor when putting his cloth back on his chairside table.