Xi'an Grand Prix: Ronnie O'Sullivan whitewashes Stephen Maguire to reach last 16 after wins for Kyren Wilson and Shaun Murphy

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Ronnie O’Sullivan continued his relentless progress at the Xi’an Grand Prix, thrashing Stephen Maguire 5-0 to set up a last-16 clash with Jak Jones. On an entertaining Thursday in China, there were also wins for Kyren Wilson, Mark Williams and Shaun Murphy, while Neil Robertson was the big-name casualty. Watch and stream all the Xi'an Grand Prix action live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

O’Sullivan: If I can bring people enjoyment like Tiger, Federer, or Messi, I’m happy

Video credit: TNT Sports

After beating Yao Pencheng in the last round, Ronnie O'Sullivan said he was playing better than at any time since 2012, words that ring even truer following a 5-0 thrashing of Stephen Maguire.

A total clearance of 134 set the tone in frame one, and three more sizeable contributions gave The Rocket a 4-0 interval lead in less than an hour.

Things continued in the same vein at the resumption, O'Sullivan dominating frame five to complete the whitewash and set up a last-16 encounter with Jak Jones.

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Jones, like the rest of the field, will have to play seriously well to stop O'Sullivan from seizing his first ranking title since January 2024.

Ronnie O'Sullivan beats Stephen Maguire 5-0

Ronnie is playing way better than when he won the UK Championships and Masters in 2023-24. I can't wait to see how things progress from here.

O'Sullivan 56-0 Maguire

Left in an invidious position, Stephen fouls looking to escape and get everything safe then, when Ronnie misses to the yellow bag, a poor safety leaves him a chance to mopup the match. He cuts to left-centre, and this is surely over.

O'Sullivan 44-0 Maguire

Our players return during a commercial break, when we join them Ronnie's at the table potting, and this might be curtains. It's a while since he won a title - the 2024 World Grand Prix – and that was part of a decent run of victories in which he didn't actully play that well. But he's in great nick now, even though he runs out of position when you don't expect him to. No matter: he rams a starter just off the straight into right corner ... then plays safe rather than risk breaking the pack.

Around the tables

Gary Wilson 1-1 Mateusz Baranowski
Jimmy Robertson 2-2 Robert Milkins
Matthew Stevens 0-3 Lyu Haotian
Zhou Yuelong 2-1 Mark Williams
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 1-2 Barry Hawkins
Elliot Slessor 1-2 Oliver Lines
Shaun Murphy 2-1 Wu Yiz

O'Sullivan 4-0 Maguire

A run of 81, a near-perfect mini-sesh, and in just over 50 minutes, Ronnie completes a mini-session sweep. We'll be back in 15.

O'Sullivan 3-0 Maguire (50-1)

A beautifully delicate plant sustains the run, and there's no reason to think this won't soon be 4-0. Stephen is out of this match almost before it's begun.

O'Sullivan 3-0 Maguire (18-1)

Stephen sinls a really nice starter but the yellow that awaits him thereafter is evil, a fine cut from along the baulk link; he can't force it down, and again, must now sit at the side as TMNTPETPUAC builds.

Around the tables

Gary Wilson 1-1 Mateusz Baranowski
Jimmy Robertson 1-2 Robert Milkins
Matthew Stevens 0-2 Lyu Haotian
Zhou Yuelong 0-1 Mark Williams
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 1-1 Barry Hawkins
Elliot Slessor 0-2 Oliver Lines
Shaun Murphy 1-1 Wu Yize

O'Sullivan 3-0 Maguire

Stephen has nothing for Ronnie. That's unlikely to change.

O'Sullivan 2-0 Maguire (68-0)

This is, I'm afraid, exactly what I thought was going to happen. Potters like Stephen need to be near-perfect to have any chance against Ronnie and that's not looking likely.

O'Sullivan 2-0 Maguire (36-0)

Ronnie picks out a plant and down into left corner it goes, but he soon misses a blue to the yellow pocket; no matter: Stephen botches a go at a starter, and that'll almost definitely cost him the frame.

O'Sullivan 2-0 Maguire (27-0)

Ronnie slips a delightful starter into left-centre – he's feeling himself – but a really thin black stays over right corner, so Stephen, who must've feared a 3-0 deficit, is back at the table.

Around the tables

Gary Wilson 1-0 Mateusz Baranowski
Jimmy Robertson 1-1 Robert Milkins
Matthew Stevens 0-2 Lyu Haotian
Zhou Yuelong 0-1 Mark Williams
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 1-0 Barry Hawkins
Elliot Slessor 0-1 Oliver Lines
Shaun Murphy 1-0 Wu Yize

O'Sullivan 2-0 Maguire

Before long, Stephen concedes. He's got a problem here and he knows it.

O'Sullivan 1-0 Maguire (71-6)

Undercutting a black to left corner means end of break so, 71 behind with 59 left, Stephen returns to the table more to get his arm going than anything else.

O'Sullivan 1-0 Maguire (47-0)

Ronnie enjoys playing in China and he's enjoying himself here. There are plenty more loose balls awaiting him, a recovery-pot on the pink, sent to the green bag, keeping him going. This looks a lot like 2-0.

O'Sullivan 1-0 Maguire (9-0)

In no time, Ronnie's away again, slipping a starter to left corner, but rather than take on a tricky colour, he plays safe; Stephen returns well and gets the first shot at a pot, but misses to right corner. Trouble.

Around the tables

Gary Wilson 1-0 Mateusz Baranowski
Jimmy Robertson 1-0 Robert Milkins
Matthew Stevens 0-1 Lyu Haotian
Zhou Yuelong 0-1 Mark Williams
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 1-0 Barry Hawkins
Elliot Slessor 0-1 Oliver Lines
Shaun Murphy 0-0 Wu Yize

From earlier

Mark Davis 1-5 Aaron Hill
David Lilley 3-5 Jak Jones
Liam Pullen 5-0 Noppon Saengkham
He Guoqiang 5-4 Neil Robertson
Louis Heathcote 3-5 Ding Junhui
Stan Moody 0-5 Stuart Bingham
Daniel Wells 5-3 Si Jiahui

O'Sullivan 1-0 Maguire

If Ronnie says he's playing well he really must be – so often, he flows like you can't believe then says he's not at it. But a total clearance of 134 lays down the smack and if he really is striking it better than at any time since 2012, the rest had better watch out.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Maguire (78-4)

A cut to right corner secures the frame and Ronnie is cueing nicely – as he uncharacteristically advised us he is. following his last-64 win.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Maguire (46-4)

There's no one better in the balls and no one better at plotting a route through a break. This will surely be 1-0.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Maguire (16-4)

Stephen hasn't beaten Ronnie in 13 years but he is closer to the form that made him no 2 in the world than for a while, winning the Championship League. And he's first on the board when Ronnie goes in-off, gets away with a missed pot ... then poor safety leaves a pretty decent opportunity. Off goes The Rocket.

Out come our players

And off we go.

We go again

Bit of Ronnie O'Sullivan v Stephen Maguire? Believe!

Kyren Wilson, the defending champion, moved a step nearer to retaining a ranking title for the first time, seeing off Yuan Sijun with relative ease. Wilson took frame one after a missed black threatened to cost him it, and frame two was not dissmilar, the Warrior seeing it out after offering his opponent an opportunity. A run of 113 then took him two away and though Yuan kept himself in contentntion by closing the gap to 3-1, then again when Wilson spurned a chance to close out at 4-1, a second century secured a last-16 meeting with wither Shaun Murphy or Wu Yize.

Kyren Wilson beats Yuan Sijun 5-2

A 106 to finish from the champ, who's never retained a ranking title. Next for him: Shaun Murphy or Wu Yize.

Wilson 4-2 Yuan (90-0)

Kyren is going to finish this with a ton.

Wilson 4-2 Yuan (60-0)

Kyren does the necessary. He's almost there.

Wilson 4-2 Yuan (23-0)

Between frames, Kyren took himself out of the arena to get his head straight – as someone who prides himself on his meticulousness, he'll have been extremely unhappy that he spurned so straightforward a chance to move into the next round. It seems highly unlikely he'll do similarly this time.

Wilson 4-2 Yuan (8-0)

Yuan goes hard at one to right corner, doesn't get that close, and leaves all sorts. Huge chance for Kyren to finish things.

Around the tables

Mark Davis 1-5 Aaron Hill
David Lilley 1-3 Jak Jones
Liam Pullen 5-0 Noppon Saengkham
He Guoqiang 2-3 Neil Robertson
Louis Heathcote 2-4 Ding Junhui
Stan Moody 0-5 Stuart Bingham
Daniel Wells 3-2 Si Jiahui

Wilson 4-2 Yuan

Kyren knew when he missed that he'd probably sacrificed the frame, and a clearance of 93 proves him correct.

Wilson 4-1 Yuan (33-60)

Yuan calmly accepts the opportunity. He's still in the match and I'm not surprised Kyren looks furious with himself.

Wilson 4-1 Yuan (33-9)

Until a cut-back red bounces out of the bag! Can Yuan save himself? The balls are there for him...

Wilson 4-1 Yuan (27-4)

Kyren builds, and given the whereabouts of the balls, there's no reason to think this isn't over.

Wilson 4-1 Yuan (1-4)

Shaun slips a starter to left corner then slides in behind the brown, reds pretty scattered; if Yuan's escape leaves one, it might be his final shot in this tournament, and he does. Kyren hasn't been deadly today, but I'd expect him to at least build a healthy lead at this visit.

Around the tables

Mark Davis 1-4 Aaron Hill
David Lilley 1-3 Jak Jones
Liam Pullen 5-0 Noppon Saengkham
He Guoqiang 2-3 Neil Robertson
Louis Heathcote 2-3 Ding Junhui
Stan Moody 0-5 Stuart Bingham
Daniel Wells 3-0 Si Jiahui

Wilson 4-1 Yuan

Kyren clears the balls and the defending champ is one away.

Wilson 3-1 Yuan (46-23)

Oh dear. A poor safety from Yuan leaves a slot to right corner, Kyren sends it down, and he's going three up with four to play.

Wilson 3-1 Yuan (45-23)

And he cannot. But he does get in again, looks to develop remaining reds ... and can't cut one of the two to middle.

Wilson 3-1 Yuan (45-10)

A poor safety from Kyren leaves a long diag which Yuan steers home, the frame now in the balance. the balls, though, aren't that friendly, so stealing from here won't be easy.

Wilson 3-1 Yuan (45-1)

Kyren accumulates confidently, keeping the run going with a blue punched into the yellow bag. A miscued jab with the rest, though, means he has to go into the pack off the brown – the ball still drops for him – but he lands on nowt, so plays safe with a useful lead. Yuan, though, will be relieved to still be in the frame.

Wilson 3-1 Yuan (9-1)

Yuan sinks a starter then nuzzles up to the black, opening a passage of play which leads to reds being sent down the table. Kyren then considers a cross-double fraught with danger, takes it on ... and down it goes. There's a chance to score here.

We go again...

Around the tables

Mark Davis 1-2 Aaron Hill
David Lilley 1-1 Jak Jones
Liam Pullen 3-0 Noppon Saengkham
He Guoqiang 2-1 Neil Robertson
Louis Heathcote 1-2 Ding Junhui
Stan Moody 0-3 Stuart Bingham
Daniel Wells 3-0 Si Jiahui

Wilson 3-1 Yuan

A run of 80 and Yuan closes the gap to two. See you in 15 minutes.

Wilson 3-0 Yuan (0-72)

A quick kill for Yuan, who goes into the interval in better heart.

Wilson 3-0 Yuan (0-41)

Better from Yuan, who opens reds with nudges, then goes into the pack off the blue; from here, he should force his way on to the board.

Wilson 3-0 Yuan (0-8)

Yuan must surely win this frame to have a chance in the match, and he steers a terrific opener into left corner to get going. Problem is, he's been missing balls once he's settled; can he see out a chance to close the gap?

Around the tables

Mark Davis 1-1 Aaron Hill
David Lilley 1-1 Jak Jones
Liam Pullen 2-0 Noppon Saengkham
He Guoqiang 1-1 Neil Robertson
Louis Heathcote 0-2 Ding Junhui
Stan Moody 0-3 Stuart Bingham
Daniel Wells 2-0 Si Jiahui

Wilson 3-0 Yuan

A 113 and Kyren is two away.

Wilson 2-0 Yuan (88-17)

There's no reason to think this won't be a 15th ton of the season for Kyrizzle.

Wilson 2-0 Yuan (50-17)

Kyren leaves himself a testing black to right corner which, if he sinks, leaves the frame at his mercy ... and it's there. He's going three-up, and looks set to finish this in double-quick time, though Yuan is getting chances.

Wilson 2-0 Yuan (35-17)

Kyren hasn't played that well so far, but this is a really clever run, nudges and bumps developing balls. I don't think he thinks Yuan can beat him.

Wilson 2-0 Yuan (0-17)

Yuan, who really must win one of the next two frames before the interval, drops into left corner then snuggles up to the brown; the escape yields an opportunity to score, he opens the reds nicely ... and misses one he shouldn't. He's in big trouble.

Around the tables

Mark Davis 0-1 Aaron Hill
David Lilley 1-1 Jak Jones
Liam Pullen 2-0 Noppon Saengkham
He Guoqiang 1-1 Neil Robertson
Louis Heathcote 0-2 Ding Junhui
Stan Moody 0-2 Stuart Bingham
Daniel Wells 1-0 Si Jiahui

Wilson 2-0 Yuan

Before long, Yuan concedes.

Wilson 1-0 Yuan (60-34)

He does the necessary, but then misses the brown, so Yuan returns to the table needing a snooker.

Wilson 1-0 Yuan (55-34)

Yup, Kyren carefully removes balls; yellow and green for 2-0.

Wilson 1-0 Yuan (27-34)

...and nor can he here. But all the reds are blocking each other, so he leaves nowt ... until, with the white in the jaws of right corner, he offers a starter to left-centre. Kyren slams it into the leather, and looks good for 2-0.

Wilson 1-0 Yuan (23-27)

Just as he's looking settled, Kyren misses the kind of ball to middle he usually devours. He is displeased with this behaviour, and Yuan really must punish him for that. Last frame, he couldn't...

Wilson 1-0 Yuan (2-26)

Yuan soon runs out of position, ceding an opportunity that was better than the 26 points he accumulated from it, and when Kyren slips from middle to left corner, opening various other balls, he'll be feeling extremely regretful.

Wilson 1-0 Yuan (1-17)

Kyren gets in with a decent starter but when he undercuts a pink to left corner, he leaves a chance for Yuan, who quickly gets to work, picking off loose reds.

Wilson 1-0 Yuan (0-5)

A poor safety from Kyren offers a snick of a cut-back which Yuan drains, then a broon to middle sustains the run ... but leaves no next red; end of break.

Around the tables

Mark Davis 0-0 Aaron Hill
David Lilley 0-0 Jak Jones
Liam Pullen 0-0 Noppon Saengkham
He Guoqiang 0-0 Neil Robertson
Louis Heathcote 0-1 Ding Junhui
Stan Moody 0-1 Stuart Bingham
Daniel Wells 1-0 Si Jiahui

Wilson 1-0 Yuan

Kyren makes slightly hard work of it, a miss offering Yuan a chance to steal, but he eventually sees it out to take an early lead.

Morning all

We're away in frame one of Wilson v Yuan...

Thursday's schedule

Last 32

07:00

Mark Davis v Aaron Hill
Kyren Wilson v Yuan Sijun
David Lilley v Jak Jones
Liam Pullen v Noppon Saengkham
He Guoqiang v Neil Robertson
Louis Heathcote v Ding Junhui
Stan Moody v Stuart Bingham
Daniel Wells v Si Jiahui

12:30

Gary Wilson v Mateusz Baranowski
Ronnie O'Sullivan v Stephen Maguire
Jimmy Robertson v Robert Milkins
Matthew Stevens v Lyu Haotian
Zhou Yuelong v Mark Williams
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh v Barry Hawkins
Elliot Slessor v Oliver Lines
Shaun Murphy v Wu Yize

- - -

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