Snooker: Rocket's record bid on course
Ronnie O'Sullivan's bid to become the first player in 15 years to win three successive ranking titles remains on course after he reached the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters.
O'Sullivan, who captured the World Championship last May and the Northern Ireland Trophy in August, defeated Joe Perry 5-3 on a day when Jamie Cope made a maximum 147 break and still lost his match against Mark Williams 5-2.
Welshman Ryan Day defeated two-time world champion John Higgins 5-3, while world No 2 Stephen Maguire beat Stuart Bingham 5-3.
In earlier action, Welsh Open champion Mark Selby beat Mark King 5-0 to storm into the quarter-finals. The 25-year-old world No 4 compiled breaks of 48, 68, 48, 44 and 68 to set up a last-eight meeting with Marco Fu, who overcame Andy Hicks 5-2.
