Ronnie O’Sullivan comes from behind to beat Anthony McGill and book spot in last 16 of UK Championship 2023

Ronnie O’Sullivan remained on course for a record-extending eighth UK Championship title with a 6-2 win over Anthony McGill at the Barbican Centre in York.

Should O’Sullivan go on to win, he will create another slice of history, becoming the oldest and the youngest UK champion, having won the Triple Crown event in 1993 at the age of 17.

The 47-year-old will face either Robert Milkins or Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in the next round.

McGill made an impressive start with a break of 116, featuring a clever plant on two reds and also a double into the middle pocket, and was presented with an early chance in the second frame when O’Sullivan potted the white.

But the Scotsman missed a long red which looked like it might be costly with the reds spread. O’Sullivan, though, got to 49 before running out of position, and McGill responded with a break of 60 to move 2-0 ahead.

The Rocket spurned another opening early in the third when he missed a blue to the middle at 14-0 ahead, but he was given a reprieve that he made the most of to halve his deficit.

Building on that momentum, O’Sullivan made a second successive break of 89 to go into the mid-session interval level at 2-2, capitalising on a missed yellow from McGill.

With McGill starting to struggle, a 66 in the fifth frame earned O’Sullivan his first lead in the match – and he wouldn’t let it slip.

He won a scrappy sixth to go 4-2 ahead before he clinched the win with breaks of 61 and 92 to make it six frames on the bounce.