Ronnie O'Sullivan described his form as shocking after his hopes of a successful European Open title defence were crushed by Stephen Lee today. After a three hour, 32 minute grind - one of the longest best nine frame matches O'Sullivan has ever been involved in - Lee squeezed through 5-4 to reach the semi-finals of the £400,000 event at the Portomaso Hilton, Malta.
O'Sullivan said: "That was very, very poor. It was like pulling teeth and it wasn't like me, groaned the grounded Rocket, who had won all seven of his previous meetings with Lee in world ranking tournaments. I can't believe what I've done lately considering the way I've been playing. In the last two tournaments I've played one good session of snooker. That's
it. I like to win Ronnie style, not just hang in there, so it's been too much like hard work. I've toughed it out but that's not the way I like to play the game."
Filed by Ciaran Cronin
