Ireland’s Aaron Hill caused one of the biggest shocks in World Snooker in his very young professional snooker career with a fantastic performance at the BetVictor European Masters in Milton Keyes knocking out the current World champion and snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan.
Hill’s performance was sensational and definitely is now the talk of World snooker.
O’Sullivan gave a huge degree of respect to Hill in his play throughout the match and it was well merited as Hill was sensational at any given opportunity.
It could not have started better for the Cork man who watched O’Sullivan break down missing a red on 27 points in the first frame, then Hill cut in a beautiful red into the left middle pocket and then go on to make a 74 break to take the opening frame.
The second frame was a scrappy opening ten minutes with some good safety shots and eventually Hill beat O’Sullivan in the safety battle made a decent break forcing the World champion to concede the frame with two reds still on the table.
O’Sullivan put in a much better shift in the third frame, but still gave Hill a chance and the Crucible man was unlucky not to sink the long pot and O’Sullivan punished the miss with a frame winning 78 point visit after only getting 43 points in the opening two frames.
Incredibly Hill came out attacking again in the fourth frame and had O’Sullivan in all kinds of trouble and significantly taking the frame to go 3-1 up at the interval.
The interval probably came at a bad time for Hill and it gave time for O’Sullivan to re-group and a 42 break in frame five was enough for O’Sullivan to win after Hill had a chance, but over cut the black to leave the Rocket back in to take the frame.
Again O’Sullivan was getting his arm going in the sixth frame and looked like he was right back in control of the match and looking dangerous with an early visit reaping 64 points to level matters at 3-3 in the best of nine frame last 64 contest.
O’Sullivan made his first century break of the new season with a 102 in the seventh frame winning three frames in a row and it looked ominous for the Cork man.
Hundreds of players have folded against O’Sullivan following a rally by the World champion but not Aaron Hill who won the ninth frame decisively forcing the match to a decider with the winner going through to the last 32 match against Matthew Stephens.
Hill had a fluke in the decider but incredibly polished off the balls to the blue and booked his place in the last 32,
Tonight in Milton Keyes a star was born.
Report by Derek Kiely RIBSA Secretary
