Ronnie O’Sullivan beats Si Jiahui at English Open despite ‘awful’ performance, faces Zhang Anda in last 16

Ronnie O’Sullivan delivered a patchy performance, but had enough quality to claim a 4-2 win over Si Jiahui at the English Open.

It was more O’Sullivan against Pagett than against Page on Thursday, with his highest break being a run of 78. However, he was able to draw on his years of experience to set up a clash with Zhang Anda in the last 16 later in the evening.

O’Sullivan – who described his performance as “awful” in an interview with Eurosport – missed two long reds to open up the contest.

The second miss handed a chance to Si, and he picked off a superb break of 101 – his fourth century of the season – to edge his way in front.

After seeing two tough reds fail to drop in the opener, O’Sullivan missed a simple black off its spot in the second.

Si had chances to double his lead, but failed to take them, and he was made to pay for overcutting a red to the bottom left as O’Sullivan stepped in with a half century to steal the second.

The scrappy play from O’Sullivan continued in the third and Si moved back in front.

There were more errors from O’Sullivan in the fourth, but the seven-time world champion managed to keep himself in proceedings and the frame turned his way when Si went in-off from a poor positional shot and the Rocket made 53 to level the match.

There were a series of good pots from Si in the fifth, but cue-ball control was lacking and it cost him when going in-off from a brown.

A shake of the head from Si followed a second in-off moments later, and it proved costly as O’Sullivan picked off a half century to edge in front for the first time in the match.

Si knocked in a series of brilliant pots during the match, but missed a tough one at the start of the sixth to present O’Sullivan with a chance.

After some poor efforts earlier in the day, O’Sullivan raced through a superb 78 – including a couple of party pieces of a doubled red and long yellow to seal the win.

“I thought it was awful,” O’Sullivan told Eurosport’s Alan McManus. “I am just trying to be kind to myself out there, sometimes a voice in my head can really criticise.

“I am just trying to say some nice things, not be hard on myself.

“I am enjoying playing, I am battling and want to play and am giving it all I can.”

O’Sullivan will be back in action later on Thursday to take on Zhang, who was a 4-1 winner over Elliot Slessor.