Ronnie O'Sullivan makes admission after Chinese Grand Prix win over Matthew Selt - 'Got lucky'
Ronnie O'Sullivan is through to the next round of the Chinese Grand Prix
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Ronnie O'Sullivan has admitted he is lucky to be in the next round of the Chinese Grand Prix after scrapping past Matthew Selt.
O'Sullivan was far from his best against Selt in the last eight of the Chinese Grand Prix on Friday morning, though he managed to claim a 5-4 victory.
Selt had been 4-2 down before levelling the scores 4-4 with two centuries and a 95, forcing O'Sullivan into a sticky situation.
However, the Rocket showed why he is the favourite to claim glory in Xi'an this month by clinching the deciding set.
Ronnie O'Sullivan is through to the next round of the Chinese Grand Prix
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But O'Sullivan has admitted that he is a lucky boy to reach the semi-final, where he will face world champion Kyren Wilson.
“I thought the way Matt played, when I missed that black and he was at the table, that he would clear up," O'Sullivan said.
"He was playing well. He allowed me to get back in the game, and gave me a chance.
"At 4-4 anything could happen, but Matt deserved to win today, he was the best player by a long way.”
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Selt finished the match as the heavier scorer but will be kicking himself after missing a red in the final set.
It allowed the 41-time ranking event winner, who had opened with a 36, to finish the set 71-13 and proceed to the next round.
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Ronnie O'Sullivan faces Kyren Wilson in the semi-final
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Winning the competition will earn the victor a cool £177,000 in prize money, which would be a big boost to Ronnie's already huge wealth.
But glory in Xi'an is not what is getting 48-year-old out of bed in the morning - with his rivalry with Stephen Hendry taking precedent.
"I don’t have to win any tournaments anymore, I’ve had a great career, an amazing career," O’Sullivan said.
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Ronnie O'Sullivan admitted Matthew Selt deserved to win
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"I suppose if there is one thing I would love to do is to win another World Championship, that would be eight and I’d have every record there is in snooker to have.
"I’m equal with Stephen Hendry which is still a great achievement, it would be nice to have them all.
"Then that would be a dream story I suppose, for me, to look back at my career and say, I’ve done okay."