Ronnie Runs Riot: Masterclass Sends Maguire Packing in Under an Hour
Ronnie O’Sullivan reminded everyone why he’s still the man to beat as he stormed into the last 16 of the Xi’an Grand Prix with a commanding 5-0 victory over Scotland’s Stephen Maguire. The seven-time world champion barely broke a sweat as he dismantled his opponent in just over an hour, sending out a chilling warning to the rest of the field.
Nicknamed “The Rocket” for his lightning-fast playing style, O’Sullivan lived up to the name right from the start, opening the match with a sensational break of 134. It was a tone-setting contribution that left Maguire, a seasoned competitor with seven ranking titles to his name, struggling to keep up.
Maguire, once ranked number two in the world and winner of the 2004 UK Championship, found himself on the receiving end of a clinical masterclass. O’Sullivan barely gave him a look-in, conceding a mere 25 points across five frames, compared to his own towering tally of 471.
Building on his early momentum, O’Sullivan crafted further breaks of 70, 63, and 85, showing a near-flawless mix of power, precision, and composure. Even in the fifth and final frame — the scrappiest of the bunch — O’Sullivan remained in control, calmly clearing up to seal the whitewash.
This was O’Sullivan’s third match of the tournament, and so far he has dropped just a single frame. He began his campaign with a 5-1 victory over China’s Yao Pengcheng and has only gone from strength to strength since then.
Next up for the Rocket is a last-16 showdown against Welshman Jak Jones on Friday afternoon — a clash that promises to be far more competitive, though on current form, O’Sullivan looks nearly unstoppable.
If anyone thought time might slow down Ronnie, he’s proving them wrong — and doing it in style.
