‘Got to be issuing refunds’ – Ronnie O’Sullivan’s World Snooker Championship session over after 17 minutes

RONNIE O’SULLIVAN and Luca Brecel required less than 17 minutes to book their spots in the quarter-finals of the World Snooker Championship.

The Rocket, 49, scored a break of 95 to eliminate Pang Junxu 13-4 at 7.27pm on Monday evening.

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Ronnie O’Sullivan needed just 17 minutes to see off Pang Junxu on Monday night[/caption]

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The Rocket resumed needing just one frame for victory[/caption]

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Luca Brecel also raced past Ding Junhui, leaving punters without action to watch[/caption]

O’Sullivan now plays Si Jiahui, who beat Ben Woollaston 13-10 in round two.

Minutes before that, 2023 champ Brecel notched a 71 break to get the one frame required to knock out Ding Junhui 13-4.

Ticket-holders who had paid more than £50 for the night had to watch Big Break-style entertainment involving Dennis Taylor, Jimmy White and Ken Doherty.

But some snooker fans were left in bemusement that no refunds would be handed out – despite less than half an hour of action in the evening session.

One wrote on X: “If you’d bought tickets for the snooker tonight you’d have got about 15 mins of viewing. They should get a refund tbh.”

Another agreed: “Got to be issuing refunds.”

While a third commented: “People will have bought these tickets 11 months ago. I wonder if there’s a clause of a partial refund if you don’t get to see more than an hours snooker? Probably not.”

Crucible legends Doherty, White and Taylor took to the arena for trick shots and frame play.

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The trio have a combined age of 193 and are on site in Sheffield due to broadcaster duties.

John Virgo, who co-fronted the BBC show Big Break between 1991 and 2002, also joined in to keep the crowd engaged.

Earlier in the day, World No1 Judd Trump booked his place in the quarter-finals with a brilliant 13-10 win over Shaun Murphy.

The Ace in the Pack outlasted the Masters champion, who claimed he had “never played better” at the Crucible.

Murphy said: “It’s frustrating because that’s the best I have ever played here and lost.

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Dennis Taylor stepped in to entertain the Crucible crowd[/caption]

“I don’t think anyone has played as well as Judd and I over a long distance this year.

“There have been a lot of times this season when my opponent has played out of his boots.

“If I’d had more chances I felt I would have taken them.

“But I watched two and half sessions of Judd Trump magic.

“If he’s able to sustain that level of performance, he’ll win the tournament, without question.

“If I were allowed to bet on snooker matches, I’d have as much as I possibly could on Judd Trump.”