Ding Junhui becomes first player to make two 147s at The Masters but loses to Ronnie O'Sullivan in first round at Alexandra Palace; Ding's maximum helps him rally from 4-0 down to 4-3 against The Rocket before O'Sullivan wins 4-3; Ali Carter defeats Mark Williams 6-4 on Monday evening
Tuesday 9 January 2024 06:07, UK
Ronnie O'Sullivan beat Ding Junhui 6-3 in a memorable first-round match at The Masters after the Chinese player recorded a history-making 147.
Ding became the first snooker player to make two 147s at The Masters after he delivered a maximum break in the seventh frame of the best-of-11 encounter.
The 36-year-old made his first 147 in the event in 2007 and only two other players have made one at the biggest invitational triple crown event of the season - Canada's Kirk Stevens in 1984 and Hong Kong's Marco Fu in 2007.
O'Sullivan raced into a 4-0 lead after Ding missed chances to win the opening three frames. The fourth of those frames saw O'Sullivan make the 1,231st century of his 32-year career after Ding missed a red to the bottom-right pocket.
It looked like O'Sullivan was going to go 5-0 up but he missed a relatively easy frame ball and Ding capitalised with a 56 clearance. Momentum was now on Ding's side and a 92 break was followed by the brilliant 147 as he trailed 4-3.
However, the maximum seemed to work against Ding as O'Sullivan dug in and won the next two frames to get over the line, with both players receiving a standing ovation from the Alexandra Palace crowd at the end of the match.
O'Sullivan said: "Unbelievable 147 from Ding. I knew he was going to make it from about the second or third red. His positional play is so good and he wasn't out of position once. What a magnificent player. A great break."
O'Sullivan beat Ding less than two months ago in the UK Championship final and is looking for an eighth Masters crown this week before targeting a record-breaking eighth World Championship title later this year in Sheffield.
The 48-year-old will play Neil Robertson or Barry Hawkins in his 25th Masters quarter-final but isn't sure about his form.
O'Sullivan added: "I just tried. My cueing is really not great. I was just trying to manufacturer stuff out there. I tried and there was nothing more I could do. I don't even know what to say! I was pleased to get over the line in the end."
In the evening game, 2020 finalist Ali Carter defeated two-time winner Mark Williams 6-4 to set up a Friday quarter-final against either reigning champion Judd Trump or Kyren Wilson.
Carter and Williams were locked at 4-4 in a tight encounter before Carter peeled off half-centuries in the ninth and 10th frames to seal victory.
The winner told Eurosport: "Mark is such a great competitor, I just dug in there.
"I found it difficult and did well to be at 2-2. I found a bit of form in the second half but there was a lot of pressure and it's just enjoyable to put in a good performance."
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