Sunday 28 November 2010

Premier League Snooker Semi-Finals

After ten arduous weeks, the top four players from the Premier League headed to the Potters Leisure Resort in Norfolk to contest the semi-finals.
The first semi-final saw Marco Fu take on Shaun Murphy, the format had changed to best of nine frames for the semi-finals. Fu was returning to England after winning the gold medal in the singles snooker tournament in the Asian Games and he looked to have carried on that momentum against the defending Premier League champion. Fu was the first to qualify for the semi-finals and won the frame of the semi-finals 83-0. Murphy potted the first balls of the second frame but missed a relatively easy blue after a break of just five. Fu wet up to the table and took 49 before hitting difficulties. However the Hong Kong man went onto take the frame 70-5. But that was the final time Fu managed to earn a point as Murphy revved up his engine and flew through the following five frames. Frame three saw the first century break of the night as Murphy hit 103 to win the frame 116-0. Murphy equalised in the fourth frame with a break of 81 with no reply before taking a break of 97 to win the fifth frame and take the lead in the semi-final. There was no let up in the sixth frame as Murphy racked up another break of 69 to win the frame 97-0 to take him to within one frame to seal a place in the final. He managed it in the seventh with a break of 68 to take the frame 72-0 and win the match 5-2.
The second semi-final saw league topper Ronnie O'Sullivan take on world number one Neil Robertson, who scraped into the semi-finals after a favour from O'Sullivan. However the Rocket wasn't in a favour giving mood despite missing an early easy pink. It lead to Robertson securing a break of 34 before a safety duel ensured. O'Sullivan came out of it victorious to make a break of 61 to win the frame 73-34. Roberston hit back straight away with a break of 65 to equalise the score after winning the second frame 91-8. The third frame was in another midst of a compelling safety duel which again O'Sullivan came out the victor to make a 82 break and re-take the lead after winning the frame 90-0. O'Sullivan then doubled his lead over Robertson with the second century of the night, eclipsing Murphy's 103 with a break of 139. Ronnie then made it back to back centuries with a break of 102 to almost book his place against Murphy in tonight's final. Which he managed to do after another tight frame which O'Sullivan managed to win 78-51, to make the final score 5-1 to O'Sullivan.

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