O'Sullivan leads world semi-final despite 'humidity' complaint
O'Sullivan he took a 5-3 lead against Selby in their World Snooker Championship semi-final.
LONDON (AFP) - Ronnie O Sullivan complained about the conditions after humidity in the Crucible Theatre led to a series of miscues as he took a 5-3 lead against Mark Selby in their World Snooker Championship semi-final on Wednesday.
After both players suffered a series of bad cue ball contacts in the third frame, five-time world champion O Sullivan told referee Paul Collier: "I ve never had kicks like that before in my life."
Tournament officials took the unusual step of changing the balls during the mid-session interval and the kicks appeared to subside as O Sullivan earned his slender advantage heading into Thursday s session.
Pundits including six-time runner-up Jimmy White have suggested the warm weather may be a factor in the increased incidences of contact issues this year.
White said on Eurosport that "it might be the humidity outside", while O Sullivan himself referenced the "damp conditions" after his second round win over Ding Junhui.
A World Snooker Tour spokesman confirmed that "humidity is bound to be a factor", but pointed out that kicks have been "dramatically reduced" in recent years following the introduction of an anti-static cloth.
O Sullivan had been the first to suffer in the opening frame when a bad contact on a black brought his break of 59 to an end, although a brilliant long red belatedly helped him nudge ahead.
Both players made uncharacteristic errors in the following frame, with Selby s proving the most costly when he caught a red on the lip of the pocket on a break of 39, and some fine long-potting from O Sullivan helped him extend his lead.
Selby held on to win a near-farcical third frame in which the three-time champion was seen to express his frustration, and after which O Sullivan engaged Collier in conversation as his opponent briefly left the arena.
In the other semi-final, Anthony McGill made a fast start against Kyren Wilson as the Scot raced into a 6-2 lead.
The 29-year-old is playing in his first World Championship semi-final, but he showed no signs of nerves as he won the first three frames.
McGill rounded off a superb performance with a break of 92 to secure a four-frame advantage against eighth seeded Wilson, who knocked out defending champion Judd Trump in the quarter-finals.
