Hong Kong Masters: Ronnie O’Sullivan ends Marco Fu’s dream run as he claims title
- The world champion dominates early on in the final, is hauled back by Fu, but gets over the line to take the HK$1 million prize at the Hong Kong Coliseum
- Another record crowd, estimated at more than 8,000, are there to see landmark occasion for the city
That O’Sullivan, the greatest player the sport has seen, was treading the boards alongside the Hongkonger in the final act proved no less welcome as the remaining tickets sold out once these popular protagonists had sealed their spots.
If anything, O’Sullivan’s entrance to the arena had topped that of Fu on the volume gauge, yet the world champion played as if in a soundproof bubble in the opening frame.
He allowed a reply at 49-0, but Fu was awry and O’Sullivan was away for a further run of 52 and a 1-0 lead without his opponent having potted a ball. That state of affairs was remedied for Fu in the second as he posted a 55.
The most troubled O’Sullivan looked thereafter was when calling for help to clear up the shards after he accidentally knocked his glass of water to the floor.
That delayed matters briefly, but the Englishman was quick to mop up the third frame when Fu gave him the chance, and snaffled the fourth and fifth. In doing so, he hit consecutive half-centuries of 52, 71 and 59.
Matches can become processions when O’Sullivan is capable of knocking off frames at such speed, but Fu has a history of rearguard action at the table – no better demonstrated than in his semi-final, when he had twice hauled himself back to level-pegging with John Higgins and still had it in him to clinch victory with a 147.
The unlikely story of his rejuvenation had been capturing the imagination all week, and the 44-year-old again fought back, notching a break of 98 that delighted the Coliseum.
Fu was imperilled again minutes later when O’Sullivan worked himself an opportunity and soon had the reds handily scattered. Proceeding to compile 105, he stood one frame from the trophy.
When he was off-target with a red in the next, Fu was unable to pocket one to the centre, but the seven-time world title-winner would give a further reprieve as he neared the finish line. Needing to clear the table, Fu sank a difficult blue, a baulk-end pink and the black, for 5-3.
Another frame to Fu applied some pressure, but O’Sullivan pounced in the next to tie things up.
It was not to be for Fu, but, in terms of both the intangible exuberance of the occasion and a crude bottom line, his home city had already won – even if HK$1 million (US$125,000) of the takings, in the form of the winner’s cheque, was heading to London.
