Rocket not firing as Lee progresses

Ronnie O’Sullivan described his form as “shocking” after his hopes of a successful European Open title defence were crushed by Stephen Lee today.

After a three hour, 32 minute grind – one of the longest best nine frame matches O’Sullivan has ever been involved in – Lee squeezed through 5-4 to reach the semi-finals of the event at the Portomaso Hilton, Malta.

“That was very, very poor. It was like pulling teeth and it wasn’t like me,” groaned the grounded Rocket, who had won all seven of his previous meetings with Lee in world ranking tournaments.

“I can’t believe what I’ve done lately considering the way I’ve been playing,” added O’Sullivan, runner-up to Paul Hunter in last month’s Masters.

“In the last two tournaments I’ve played one good session of snooker. That’s it.

“I like to win Ronnie style, not just hang in there, so it’s been too much like hard work. I’ve toughed it out but that’s not the way I like to play the game.”

O’Sullivan, who by losing threw away a glorious chance to significantly close the gap between himself and Mark Williams at the top of the provisional world rankings, added: “I can win playing badly but the juices don’t flow when I’m having to grind.

“My rhythm’s not as strong as it has been in the past, nowhere near, but I’m sure things will turn around.”

O’Sullivan hit peak form to capture the title in Torquay last year but could not engage top gear against Lee, who in the last 16 needed three hours, 21 minutes to overcome Steve Davis.

But when O’Sullivan rallied from 3-2 down to lead 4-3 he looked set to improve his dominant record against world number five Lee.

A 59 break earned Lee the eighth frame, though, before the pair became embroiled in a scrappy, 29-minute contest that mirrored the low quality contest as a whole.

O’Sullivan led 36-0 but from a long red Lee made 46 and eventually scraped home by potting yellow and green after fluking a snooker.

“It’s about time I beat Ronnie in a ranking event so I’m very pleased with the result,” said Lee, a 29-year-old from Trowbridge, after booking his first semi-final of an otherwise low key campaign.

“Every time I’ve played Ronnie in the past he’s been outstanding but today he wasn’t 100%.

“I’m hitting the ball all right. It’s just a matter of fine tuning. I’m quietly confident.”