Ronnie O’Sullivan blew his Chinese opponent away in less than an hour at the BetVictor Scottish Open at Meadowbank and the lightning fast four frame win included the second fastest century break on record.
The man nicknamed The Rocket fired the ton in 3min 34sec missing out on the record set by Maltese player Tony Drago in the UK Championships against Scot John Higgins in 1996 by just three seconds.
How the Scots loved the display from the world No 1 who was quick to point out that he does not chase records.
He’s brought his running shoes to Edinburgh and intends to take in some of the city’s best training locations. On this form, however, the other players should run for cover.
There was, however, no real inclination of what was to come as the match against 20-year-old Chinese player, Bai Langning, had a scrappy start.
Bai pulled away to lead 27-0 before he failed on a red into the middle bag, the ball hitting both jaws and staying out.
O’Sullivan (pictured in the background behind John Higgins, one of the other big attractions at Meadowbank) was straight into the reds with position on the black and he made the most of it, but got lucky with a cut off the pink into the centre pocket as the white moved down the table to the bottom pocket and rattled both jaws before staying above ground.
His break of 54 came to an end and then O’Sullivan fouled on the yellow.
The 46-year-old Englishman was back in after Bai failed with a long red, but Ronnie also missed a long pot to the bottom pocket. Then Bai failed with a red into the middle allowing O’Sullivan back but his stay was short-lived.
Bai opened with a red into the middle, then pink, then red, black, red before going for safety. O’Sullivan went for a double off the cushion and failed and then Bai also failed with a long red.
Bai capitalised starting his break with a long black then pink, taking the cue ball up to near the yellow bag before opting for safety with the score 62-61 in favour of the Englishman.
O’Sullivan, the world No 1, missed which started a period of fencing before O’Sullivan got back in with break of eight before he missed an easy yellow. Bai went for a snooker and Ronnie converted with the yellow but left it in an ideal potting situation.
Bai potted the yellow followed by a fine green into the middle but missed a long brown with O’Sullivan ahead 70-66 and the fans applauded as he sunk the green, blue pink and black for the frame win 79-66.
Frame two and O’Sullivan went behind 9-0 down but responded with a lightning-fast break of 118. The audience were spellbound with the century break timed on site as 3min 34sec. It ended with O’Sullivan missing a black, but it was one of the fastest ever ton breaks on record.
O’Sullivan broke for frame three leaving the cue ball in baulk behind the green. Bai left the Englishman with a long red with the white close to the bottom cushion but it failed in the jaws in the yellow pocket.
Bai missed so the world’s top player picked it off. The break halted on 11. A long red from baulk near the spotted brown started Ronnie rolling again and he raced to 56-0 before a mistake allowed Bai back.
He missed on a blue and Ronnie roared again before missed a red and ending the break on 15 but Bai said that was enough.
Bai broke in frame four and Ronnie potted a difficult, long red to get going again, concentrating on the black, break 30. His opponent missed but O’Sullivan didn’t, again working on the black, and breaking the pack to leave options.
A cute red made the break 35 and then the blue another red and the pink disappeared. The rest is history and the event lasted 57 minutes. He was gone
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