The best individual performance in the remarkable history of the top competition occurred ten years ago, coinciding with the Masters’ fiftieth anniversary. Ten years after defeating Ricky Walden 6-0 in the quarterfinals to set a record, Ronnie O’Sullivan starts his quest for an eighth Masters title against Ding Junhui on Monday. Watch the action live at eurosport.com, the Eurosport app, and discovery+.
This year marks The Masters’ 50th anniversary, yet no single performance has ever left the tournament more remembered than Ronnie O’Sullivan’s 6-0 spectacular demolition of Ricky Walden in 2014.
In the afternoon of Friday, January 17, 2010, in the quarterfinals at the old Alexandra Palace, an unsuspecting Walden ran into a Rocket on the rampage
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Rather than entering the Masters like a heavyweight boxer, the seven-time world champion and unquestionable snooker greatness more closely resembles “Smokin” Joe Frazier than “Gentleman” Joe Perry, whom he defeated 10-7 to win a record seventh Masters title in 2017.
Shortly after the table lights were turned on, it would be lights out for Walden.
The boisterous Londoners anticipate O’Sullivan performances on par with a Morrissey show, and much like a highly regarded boxer competing in front of his home crowd, he never lets them down, pulling off the feat six more times in a remarkable three decades (1995, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2014, and 2016).
The Essex man defeated Stephen Maguire 6-2 in the semi-finals. “For the amount of shouts he gets, he handles the crowd phenomenally well,” Maguire remarked.
“It is astounding. He seems to thrive on it, so I’m not sure how he manages it. I wish him luck.”
O’Sullivan was busier than the Ally Pally stands in 2012 and 2013, having just won his fourth and fifth world titles, respectively, when he destroyed the legendary Waldo in front of 1,500 devoted supporters.
After Walden broke for 38 in the opening frame, O’Sullivan achieved a 6-0 triumph in just 57 minutes, which was a snooker player’s dream come true.
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