Please note that this is NOT an official website. At this point in time Ronnie O’ Sullivan does not have an official website, nor does he wish to have one.
Bai Yulu Completes UK Hat-Trick to Reclaim Top Ranking
China’s Bai Yulu has defeated Reanne Evans 4-1 to lift the Taom UK Women’s Snooker Championship title for a third successive year and in doing so reclaim the world number one ranking at the Northern Snooker Centre in Leeds, England.
Bai was in dominant form throughout the three-day event as she dropped just two frames from her seven matches and compiled three century breaks during the final day, including a tournament-high run of 125, to move into second position on the all-time list.
Winner of the UK Championship in both 2024 and 2025, Bai extended her winning streak at the event to 18 matches to lift her ninth career ranking title, equalling the total of Thailand’s Mink Nutcharut and in doing so securing enough ranking points to return to the summit of the world ranking list for a second time.
For Evans, defeat in an unprecedented 17th UK Championship final nevertheless represented a strong start to the season and her second consecutive ranking final, following her run to the title match at the World Championship back in May.
The pair progressed from a high-quality field which included all of the world’s top 10 current ranked players and saw an exceptional standard of snooker played with six century breaks across the weekend and several other significant breaks across the three days.
Bai scored notable victories against three-time former champion Tessa Davidson, two-time UK finalist Rebecca Kenna and former US Open finalist Anupama Ramachandran – who had impressed with a comeback from 0-2 down to world champion Panchaya Channoi in the quarter-finals – to reach a fourth UK final.
For Evans, her route included wins against Selina Dean, rising 17-year-old star Liu Ziling and outgoing world number one OnYee Ng in the semi-finals as she eyed a record-extending 13th victory at the second-oldest event on the calendar.
It was Bai who made her intentions clear with a run of 103 in the opening frame, before Evans responded with a top run of 31 to draw level at 1-1.
China’s Bai reclaimed the lead following a close third frame, before adding a blistering run of 117 to move to within a frame of the title, which she would duly seal with a top run of 34 in what would prove to be the fifth and final frame.
Phoemphul, Davidson Defend Titles
In the Under-21 and Seniors titles there were repeat victories for Thailand’s Narucha Phoemphul and England’s Tessa Davidson, who successfully defended their titles from last year.
For top ranked Phoemphul it would be an eighth career under-21 title after she overcame Laura Killington and Liu Ziling – in doing so avenging her defeat to Liu at the last 16 stage of the main competition the previous evening. The win sees her consolidate her position at the top of the Under-21 rankings, for which she was presented with a special award for having finished last season as the top ranked junior.
It was a similar story for Davidson, who overcame Sarah Dunn 2-0 in the final to secure her fourth UK Seniors title and her 21st in total since January 2022, moving her to within two of the all-time record currently held by Jenny Poulter.
In the Challenge Cup competition for players who did not progress to the final day of the main competition, there was victory for Latvia’s Anna Prisjažņuka, who had narrowly lost out to Mink Nutcharut on a pink ball battle at the last 16 stage the previous evening.
The World Women’s Snooker team would like to express its thanks to all who contributed to a landmark event, including our sponsors, venue, live streaming production, commentary and media team for helping to make the weekend possible.
The Tour continues with the Australian Women’s Snooker Open, which runs from 17-20 October at Mounties, Sydney, Australia. Entry for the event is currently open via the ABSC website.
Many fans look down at women snooker with contempt1 and it is true that the standard is nowhere near what is produced by the top male players. The usual explanation by the “male supremacists” is that women are just somehow “inferior beings” …
Why Are There So Few Female Snooker Players at the Highest Level?
f you watch a snooker table long enough, you notice an undeniable fact: the snooker cue balls do not care who is holding the cue stick, and the pockets do not distinguish between the genders. Regardless of who strikes it, a straight blue ball aimed at the middle pocket presents the same level of difficulty and yields the same result.
Yet, when the spotlight falls on top-tier professional snooker tournaments, the field remains overwhelmingly male. Why is this the case? The simplest explanation might point to physiological differences between men and women, but that overlooks a more significant part of the story. The reality is far more complex and, in many ways, far more hopeful.
Women are not barred from open professional competitions. The World Snooker Tour is gender-neutral, and the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) actively encourages men and women to compete against one another. In fact, female players have not only competed in the World Championship and won matches on the professional tour but have also produced high-scoring breaks that would command the respect of any seasoned snooker player.
The issue is not an inability for women to play snooker; rather, it is that historically very few girls have had access to the prerequisites for reaching the elite level: opportunity, encouragement, professional coaching, match experience, and financial support. This distinction is crucial.
After all, if generations start from different positions, it is hardly surprising that the podium ends up dominated by a single group.
It Is Not a Closed Door But a Narrow Pipeline
One of the most important points to understand is that women’s snooker and men’s snooker are not simply two completely separate worlds. The main professional circuit is open to both men and women. In March 2026, the WPBSA confirmed that all players can compete in open tournaments, while World Women’s Snooker provides a dedicated development and competition pathway for women and girls.
This means a talented female player does not need to wait for someone to create a separate professional sport for her; the route to the elite stage already exists. The real challenge lies in getting enough girls onto that path.
According to World Women’s Snooker, there are currently over 170 players from 30 countries competing on its tour. While this figure is encouraging, the disparity becomes glaring when compared to the vast number of men who have historically participated in competitive snooker.
To a certain extent, competitive sports are a numbers game. If 100,000 boys seriously commit to a sport while only 1,000 girls do the same, the larger group is naturally more likely to produce a greater number of top-tier players. This is not a matter of innate talent, but of opportunity.
1. The Biggest Problem Starts at Grassroots Level
Most world-class snooker players do not suddenly discover the sport and decide to pursue a professional career at the age of twenty; their fundamental skills are usually established much earlier.
Young players spend years mastering their stance and cue action, learning to judge ball speed and control the cue ball, and perhaps most importantly learning to anticipate and plan their shots several moves in advance.
By the time future professionals step onto the stage of major tournaments, they have often logged thousands of hours of practice at the pool table. Historically, however, very few girls have gone through this process.
This creates a simple but powerful cycle:
Fewer girls playing → fewer junior competitors → fewer elite prospects → fewer female professionals → fewer visible role models → fewer girls inspired to start.
It becomes a vicious cycle that is difficult to break. To break it, merely paying lip service to women’s participation is far from enough. They need places to play, coaches who provide serious instruction, a variety of tournaments, and parents who recognize snooker as a genuine sporting opportunity; above all, they need to see people like themselves standing in the spotlight at major events.
2. Where Are the Female Role Models?
This is perhaps one of the most easily underestimated factors. Just imagine the situation for a 10-year-old girl who loves snooker but has never seen a woman competing at the Crucible, the iconic home of the World Snooker Championship.
It is difficult to envision yourself becoming something you have never seen before. That is precisely why players like Reanne Evans, Ng On Yee, Mink Nutcharut, Bai Yulu, and Panchaya Channoi are significant far beyond their individual match results.
They are powerful proof that “anything is possible.” Reanne Evans is perhaps the quintessential example. The English player is the most successful female snooker athlete in history, having won a record 12 World Women’s Snooker Championship titles and 58 WWS (World Women’s Snooker) ranking event titles. Furthermore, in 2010, she successfully navigated the qualifiers to become the first woman to reach the main stage of the World Snooker Championship. This was not merely a footnote in snooker history, but a genuine milestone. Moreover, the story is no longer just about Evans alone.
China’s Bai Yulu has emerged as another pivotal figure. She won the World Women’s Championship in both 2024 and 2025, becoming the first Chinese player to claim the title and thereby earning a professional tour card for the World Snooker Tour (WST). In 2025, she recorded a break of 145 at the International Championship, setting the record for the highest break ever achieved by a female player in a WST event at the time.
Then, 2026 brought another remarkable breakthrough. At just 18 years old, Thai player Panchaya Channoi defeated Reanne Evans 6–2 to claim the 2026 World Women’s Championship title and secure a two-year WST professional tour card. She thus became the youngest women’s world champion since Ann-Marie Farren in 1987.
These stories matter because the next generation needs more than just posters; they need tangible examples.
3. The Professional Gap Is Also a Financial Gap
Becoming a professional snooker player is expensive, involving expenses such as travel, accommodation, tournament entry fees, training time, coaching, and cue equipment. Furthermore, countless hours spent at the table often yield no financial return. For a player striving to break through, the financial pressure presents a challenge every bit as daunting as facing a tricky black ball during a match.
Historically, prize money and commercial exposure in women’s snooker have lagged behind mainstream professional events. This creates a dilemma for aspiring players: how can one maintain professional-standard training when financial means cannot support the daily life of a professional athlete?
A player with financial backing can devote more time to training and traveling to tournaments, whereas another might have to work during the day, squeezing in practice whenever possible and traveling to compete on weekends. Both may be exceptionally talented, but realizing that talent takes time. That is precisely why sponsorship is so crucial.
Increased investment means more than just writing bigger checks for established stars; it means giving promising newcomers opportunities to grow into the superstars of the future. Coaching stipends, youth development programs, travel support, equipment sponsorship, and tournaments with richer prize purses all help broaden the talent pipeline.
4. Competitive Experience Is Difficult to Replace
Snooker is a unique sport because training differs vastly from actual match play. Even if you can make century breaks in practice, you might still lose in the first round of a competitive match; pressure changes everything. The silence of the arena is different, the atmosphere created by the crowd is different, and the sensation of your opponent sitting across from you is different. In an instant, a simple red ball, one you’ve potted five hundred times before, can suddenly seem impossibly out of reach.
It is precisely by navigating these moments time and again that elite players develop. They learn to reset their mindset after missing an easy shot, to close out a frame, to win even when their form isn’t at its peak, and to manage their nerves. For a long time, the small pool of female players meant that women and girls rarely had the opportunity to immerse themselves in such a competitive environment over the long term.
This is why establishing dedicated women’s tournaments is crucial. A robust women’s tour is by no means a “consolation prize”; rather, it acts as an engine for talent development. It provides regular match experience, a ranking system, healthy competition, and a pathway to the professional circuit.
Today, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) recognizes the World Women’s Snooker (WWS) Tour as an official qualification route to the World Snooker Tour (WST). All signs indicate that this system is already yielding results.
For the 2026/27 season, Channoi and Bai Yulu have been nominated to compete on the World Snooker Tour (WST) alongside established professionals Ng On-yee and Reanne Evans, a perfect example of the kind of bridge the sport needs.
5. Does Physical Difference Matter?
Some think physical differences explain the disparity; others think physical differences don’t matter, and the truth is more nuanced. Snooker is not a sport where strength determines victory or defeat. Precision, timing, concentration, tactical judgment, cue ball control, and consistency are very important.
However, physical characteristics can affect certain aspects of the game. On average, men are taller and stronger than women. Sometimes, more reach can make a particular shot more comfortable, and extra power can be produced when the shot calls for it.
But it would be a mistake to take these average differences as a comprehensive explanation of the occupational gender gap. There are many players in snooker whose success relies on touch rather than brute force. Smaller players can use technique, balance, cue extension, table knowledge and smart shot selection to overcome physical limitations.
The evidence from women’s snooker itself tells an important story. Female players regularly produce strong drives and high-level positional play. Reanne Evans has twice shot 140 on the WWS rankings, while Bai Yulu has scored at an elite level on the Open Pro Tour.
So, biology can influence certain physical properties, but biology cannot explain the entire situation. Far more importantly, it does not explain why so few girls start playing seriously in the first place.
6. What About the Cueing Stance and Body Shape?
There has also been a long-running claim that women’s body shape makes certain aspects of cueing more difficult. This is an area where caution is needed. There is no good reason to suggest that women’s bodies inherently prevent them from developing an effective snooker technique.
Players will naturally adjust their stance, bridge, cue position and alignment to fit their body shape. Every player is slightly different. Some are very tall. Some are very short. Some people have very broad shoulders. Some are very slim. Some people have very long arms. Others rely on compact movement.
Good coaches find a repeatable technique that works for each player rather than forcing everyone into the same pattern. In other words, the question shouldn’t be: “Does a woman’s body prevent her from playing snooker?” It should be: “Has she received enough instruction and practice to discover a technique that works for her?” That’s a more useful question.
7. The Importance of Starting Young
If there’s one lesson other sports have taught us, it’s that elite development takes time. Players who start training seriously at the age of eight or ten have a huge head start over players who start playing competitive snooker at 18 years old.
This doesn’t mean that people who start late can’t succeed. They can. Nutcharut Wongharuthai is a good reminder that development does not always follow a clear timeline. But the sooner players receive quality coaching and meaningful competition, the better chance they have of developing elite habits.
That’s why junior snooker deserves serious attention. If the sport wants to have more women at the top in 10 or 15 years, it needs more girls around the snooker table today. Not next year. today.
8. Women’s Snooker Is Already Producing Elite Talent
There is no need to make snooker easier for women; there is no need to change the tables, there is no need to change the rules, there is no need to pretend that competition doesn’t matter. What the sport needs is a bigger, stronger, more supportive pathway for women to meet the same standards. The available evidence gives us good reason to believe it will happen.
It is easy to talk about the problem and forget the progress. That would be a mistake. The women’s game has produced players with extraordinary records.
Reanne Evans has dominated women’s snooker for more than two decades. Ng On Yee became the first player from outside the UK to reach world number one in the WWS rankings in 2018. Mink Nutcharut became world number one in 2023. Bai Yulu reached number one in 2026 and became a two-time world champion. And in May 2026, 18-year-old Panchaya Channoi became world champion after defeating three previous world champions on her way to the title.
That is not a sport without talent. It is a sport with a talent pool that is still growing.
9. The Numbers Are Moving in the Right Direction
There is another reason to be optimistic. The women’s game is becoming increasingly international.
The current WWS rankings feature players from England, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, India, Mongolia, Australia, Latvia, Iran and other countries. That matters.
Snooker becomes stronger when talent is discovered in more places. China is an especially interesting example. Bai Yulu’s rise demonstrates how investment, local interest and a growing competitive environment can help produce elite players.
The 2026 World Women’s Championship was staged at a purpose-built venue in Dongguan Changping, with the event secured at the venue for a longer-term period through 2031. This is how a movement grows, not overnight, not with a marketing campaign, but by building an ecosystem.
10. What Would Help More Women Reach the Top?
There is no single magic trick. Instead, the sport needs to strengthen several parts of the pathway at the same time.
More Girls Playing at Grassroots Level
Schools, clubs and junior programmes can introduce snooker to girls before the old stereotypes have a chance to take root. The earlier snooker becomes “a sport I play” rather than “a sport boys play”, the better.
Better Access to Coaching
A promising young player needs someone who can spot potential and teach the fundamentals properly. Good guidance can save years of trial and error.
More Female Role Models
Young players need people to look up to. Every time Evans, Bai, Channoi, On Yee, or Nutcharut appears on a major stage, another young player can think: “Perhaps I could do that too.” That thought is worth more than it sounds.
Stronger Financial Support
More sponsorship and prize money would allow more women to treat snooker as a serious professional career rather than an expensive hobby.
More Media Exposure
The sport needs to tell the stories behind the players. A viewer may not understand every safety exchange on their first night watching snooker. But they can understand ambition. They can understand pressure. They can understand a teenager chasing a dream. They can understand an experienced champion refusing to give up. Stories bring people into sport.
The Future Should Not Be About “Men Versus Women”
Perhaps the most important change is the way we frame the discussion. The goal should not be to prove that women are “better” than men or that men are “better” than women. That misses the point. The real question is: How much female talent has never been discovered because the opportunity to develop it never existed? We simply do not know the answer. And that is precisely why the future is exciting.
If more girls start playing at eight, nine or 10 years old, if more girls receive quality instruction, if more girls compete regularly, if more girls can travel and practice, if more girls see women succeeding on the biggest stages, then the talent pool will get deeper.
Then, and only then, will we have a much clearer picture of how close the very best women can come to the very best men in open professional snooker. Perhaps the next great female player is already out there. Perhaps she is eight years old, holding a cue for the first time. Perhaps she has just made her first decent break and is quietly thrilled because the white ball finished exactly where she wanted it. Perhaps nobody has noticed her yet. That is where the real opportunity lies.
Choosing the Right Snooker Cue for Female Players
If there’s one thing that deserves clarification, it’s this: there is no “women’s snooker cue” that every female player should use. A good snooker cue should fit the player, not the label.
Women can and do play snooker with standard full-size cues, and many experienced female players are perfectly suited to using 57″ or 58″ snooker cues. A better question is not “Which cue is made for women?” but “Which cue allows me to cue naturally, comfortably, and consistently?”
This distinction is important, especially for younger players, beginners, and people of smaller stature. Prompts that feel too long or awkward can make a technically difficult game feel harder than it needs to be. The right pool cues, on the other hand, feel like an extension of your arm: balanced, predictable, and reassuring.
Start with Height and Cueing Position
Height is one of the most useful starting points when choosing a snooker cue, although it should not be considered an absolute rule.
The length of a standard snooker cue is usually around 57 inches to 58 inches, which is a perfect length for many adult players. However, smaller players may find a 56-inch cue more comfortable, especially if they are learning to establish a stable stance and bridge.
The goal is simple: When you hit the ball, you should be able to assume a natural position without feeling like you’re stretching your body to control the cue.
A shorter cue can be especially helpful if you regularly find yourself:
Struggling to maintain a comfortable stance
Feeling that the butt of the cue gets in the way during your backswing
Crowding the table when addressing certain shots
Finding it difficult to keep your cue arm and bridge hand relaxed
Losing consistency because you are concentrating more on handling the cue than playing the shot
For junior and smaller-stature players, this becomes even more important. A 51″ or 53″ junior snooker cue can provide a much more manageable starting point than immediately handing a young player a full-length cue.
Cue Weight: Control is More Important Than Numbers
Weight is another aspect of personal preference that is very important. There is no magic cue weight that automatically makes a cue better for female players. Naturally, lighter players may prefer lighter cues, but body size alone won’t dictate what feels best. Some women enjoy a substantial cue because it gives them a solid, planted feeling through the shot, while others prefer something lighter and more responsive.
What matters is whether you can successfully deliver the prompt. A cue that feels too heavy may cause unnecessary tension in the cue grip and cueing arm. One that feels too light can sometimes feel less stable, particularly when playing longer shots or applying more pace.
For growing players, balance and control are often more useful considerations than simply chasing a specific number on the scale.
Is a 9.5mm Tip Suitable for Female Players?
For traditional snooker, 9.5mm is a very suitable cue tip size for both male and female players. The smaller tip than many American pool cues allows for precise contact with the cue ball and provides ample control for positional play, spin shots, stun shots, and delicate touches.
The key is not whether the player is male or female. This is a hint as to whether it is appropriate for the game you are playing. The well-prepared 9.5mm tip provides a useful balance between control and forgiveness, especially for players learning to manage the motion of the cue ball. Players looking for a different feel can also consider the professionally installed ELK Master Tip upgrade.
although they wouldn’t look down with contempt at their boobs when they are down on the shot, if given the opportunity. 😎 ↩︎
Jak Jones enjoyed the best moment of his career as he stunned Mark Selby 10-6 in the final of the Unibet British Open.
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Former Crucible finalist Jones knocked out Judd Trump in the semi-finals on Saturday and again proved that he relishes the big occasion as he outplayed four-time World Champion Selby in an enthralling contest in Cheltenham.
From 5-5, Cwmbran’s 33-year-old Jones pulled away to win five of the last six frames to land the Clive Everton Trophy and a top prize of £100,000. Selby has a formidable record in ranking finals having won 26 of his previous 39, but this time it was his opponent who showed class and composure in the concluding phase.
The result continues a fabulous start to the season for Jones as he won his first title in July at the Championship League, and now becomes the 46th player in snooker history with multiple ranking crowns to his name. He jumps from 31st to 22nd in the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings and flies up to third on the one year list.
Highly promising in his junior days, notably winning the European under-19 Championship in 2010, Jones has moved gradually along snooker’s long learning curve, but now has the experience and self belief to beat the toughest opponents. His run to the World Championship final in 2024 was a huge leap forward, despite defeat to Kyren Wilson, and the Welshman is now breaking new ground.
This week’s superb run has come despite distractions at home as his wife Inna is due to give birth to their second son within the coming days. Seemingly unflappable under pressure, Jones has maintained his focus on the table all week and can now enjoy the celebrations.
Selby had looked to build on his best ever start to the season having won the China Open three weeks ago, but misses out on a 27th ranking title. After a trio of events in the Far East and then 4-3 scorelines in each of his first three matches this week, perhaps fatigue caught up with the 43-year-old and he uncharacteristically faded in the last session. Banking £45,000, he moves up from fourth to second in the rankings, behind only Zhao Xintong.
Tied 4-4 after the first session, Jones took the opening frame tonight with breaks of 44 and 30, then Selby hit back with a run of 100 for 5-5. For the sixth time, Jones went ahead, compiling a break of 65 in frame 11, and Selby looked set to level again until he overcut a routine red to a top corner on 66 in the 12th. It came down to a safety exchange on the green and Jones laid a tough snooker, creating the chance for him to clear and gain daylight for the first time at 7-5.
Trailing 56-45 in frame 13, Jones potted the penultimate red from long range but was unlucky to see the cue ball drop into a centre pocket, and Selby capitalised to halve his deficit. In the next Selby was 18-13 down when he under-hit an awkward black to a top corner, playing with the extended spider rest, and Jones punished him with 53 for 8-6. Soon Jones was three up with four to play thanks to a run of 62.
Early in frame 16, Jones potted six reds with blacks before a tricky red to centre on 48 hit the far jaw. Selby clawed his way back, taking it to the colours, but a tough final green stayed out, and that proved his last shot as Jones slotted in green, brown, blue and pink.
“The Championship League felt good, but obviously this is a completely different level, it’s a major tournament,” said Jones. “I’m over the moon. I felt I dragged Mark down a little bit throughout the day. I just kind of battled away and made a few 50 and 60 breaks. But to beat someone like Mark, who’s an all-time great and has won everything in the game, is incredible.
“It’s definitely the best day of my career. Winning a ranking event is better than coming runner-up in a World Championship. To finally win a big tournament like this – I thought it might not happen. It’s an unbelievable start to the season for me, so I’m buzzing. It has been tough for 15 years, I have been battling away but haven’t really achieved that much, so to start winning titles feels amazing.”
Selby said: “Jak played great from start to finish, he scored well and his safety was good. He was the best player on on the day. I felt it was only a matter of time before he started winning titles.“
Jak is due to play in the 2026 English Open this afternoon, but, likely, he will now turn most of his attention to his family as his wife, Inna, is due to give birth to their second child in the coming days. I’m wishing the whole family the very best. I hope that Inna has an easy delivery and, above all, that the child and the mother come out of this healthy and well. Nothing else really matters much in such moments. I’m sending the whole family my very best wishes. 🙏
The Final in Cheltenham today will oppose Mark Selby and Jak Jones. Most fans were expecting a Selby v Trump final I suppose, but Jak had other ideas …
Mark Selby came through a marathon five-hour battle against Liam Highfield by a 6-3 scoreline to reach the final of the Unibet British Open and boost his hopes of a second ranking title within three weeks.
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Renowned for his determination and focus, Selby outlasted his opponent in a tie which had an average frame time of 32 minutes. The match was in danger of being delayed until after the evening session, but Selby pulled away from 3-3 to take the last three frames and secure a 40th ranking event final.
On Sunday over a possible 19 frames he will face Judd Trump or Jak Jones for the Clive Everton Trophy and a top prize of £100,000. Selby will be aiming for a 27th ranking title, which would bring him level with Mark Williams in sixth place on the all-time list. The world number four – who could climb to second if he wins the title – is enjoying a tremendous start to the season having landed the China Open crown last month.
The 43-year-old from Leicester has also extended his superb recent record in the British Open, as he was runner-up to Williams in 2023, then beat John Higgins in the 2024 final and also reached the semis last year.
Highfield, who was playing in the semi-finals of a ranking event for the first time, took an early 2-1 lead; Selby winning the second frame with a break of 85. The fourth lasted 76 minutes and came down to a battle on the brown, resolved when a safety error from Highfield left it over a centre pocket and his opponent cleared to level the tie. The next was also settled on the colours as Selby, leading by 25 points, laid a tough snooker on the yellow which set up the chance for him to go ahead for the first time.
In the sixth, Highfield trailed 37-15 when he slotted in a long red and went on to make 56 for 3-3. But Highfield potted just one red in the next two frames as Selby took them both with a top break of 53 to lead 5-3. In frame nine, Selby was on 29 when he went into the pack off the blue and knocked a red in, then Highfield looked set for 5-4 until he ran out of position on 62. He later missed a mid-range pot on the penultimate red, and four-time Crucible king Selby seized the opportunity to settle the result with an excellent 39 clearance.
“It was a tough match, Liam didn’t make it easy for me at all,” said Selby, whose first ranking final came at the 2003 Scottish Open. “His safety was incredible. I can’t remember him playing a poor safety shot all the way through the match. The frames just went scrappy, if no one got in first and won it in one visit, the frames seemed to just follow the same pattern. It was hard to keep your patience and not try and push the boat out because you get frustrated. I was out there fighting.
“It looked like going 3-1, he probably deserved to be in front. That was probably the difference between me winning and losing the match, it was a key turning point. I won the next frame to go 3-2 up, then the momentum was on my side.
“To think, when I was starting out, a 16-year-old kid in 1999, if somebody had said I’d get to 40 ranking finals, I’d have said ‘no chance.’ I’d have been happy to get to just one or two.
“Hopefully I get another victory tomorrow, but if not I’ll keep on trying and keep playing the way I’ve played this season. It has been my best ever start to a season, I’ve played four tournaments and only lost two matches.“
Jak Jones scored a surprise 6-3 victory over Judd Trump in the semi-finals of the Unibet British Open as he continued to chase a second ranking title of the season.
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After thrashing world number one Zhao Xintong 5-1 on Friday night, Trump may have expected to progress to the final in Cheltenham, but tonight’s display was well below his usual standard as world number 31 Jones pulled away from 3-3 to take the last three frames. The Welshman goes through to Sunday to face Mark Selby over a possible 19 frames for the Clive Everton Trophy.
Tonight’s contest was reminiscent of the 2024 World Championship quarter-final fixture when a frustrated Trump was unable to get on top of a gritty Jones, who won that tie 13-9. On that occasion Jones finished runner-up to Kyren Wilson, and at the start of the current season he broke new ground by winning the Championship League, his first ranking title. The 33-year-old is now into a third ranking final and is already guaranteed a pay-day of £45,000.
Jones dominated the opening frame with runs of 46 and 44 then came from 46-0 down to take the second with a 95 clearance. Trump pulled one back with a 77 before Jones compiled a break of 68 for 3-1. Trump’s 54 helped win him the fifth, and in frame six he led 52-19 when an attempted mid-range red missed the target. Jones had a chance to clear for 4-2 but rattled the penultimate red in the jaws of a top corner and instead it was 3-3.
However, Cwmbran cueman Jones regained the momentum as breaks of 59 and 52 helped give him the next two frames for 5-3. Frame nine came down to the colours and Trump knocked in a mid-range yellow, but then over-cut a tricky green to a baulk corner. Jones cleared from green to pink to complete one of his career best results.
“I knew it would be very tough, Judd missed a few balls early on and I punished him,” said Jones. “I let him back into it at 3-3 but then made a good break in the next frame. I enjoy taking on the top players because I know I have to play well.
“I practised hard over the summer, it has been my best start to a season and I feel good about my life on and off the table. Mark Selby is one of the all-time greats, he’s big favourite but hopefully I can give him a decent game.“
Jak Jones is an under-rated player. At his best he’s very, very strong and he proved it again this week. As mentioned in the above report, he’s a former Crucible finalist. He may well cause an “upset” today, and by that I mean that he may well upset quite a few gamblers … which would please me very much!
Don’t misunderstand me here, this is nothing against Mark Selby, but I absolutely loath the whole betting business and any result that could possibly cause them to lose money is welcome! I have said this before and I will say it again: during my professional life, I lost three colleagues to suicide. One had been left maimed and disfigured after a terrible car accident. She had lost the capacity to taste her food, to perceive smells and she was in constant unbearable pain. She couldn’t take it anymore. The other two took their own life over overwhelming betting debts and both left a partner and children behind. Also, it is well documented how former snooker star Willie Thorne suffered from a severe, life-long gambling addiction that led to bankruptcy, severe depression, and immense personal problems and distress. If it was for me, promotion for betting in any form should be made illegal. I know that it would cause snooker a sponsoring issue, but that I’m sure could be solved if decent efforts are put in it.
Both semi-finals today will feature a former World Champion and prolific ranking events winner against a far less experienced1 opponent as Liam Highfield will play Mark Selby and Jak Jones will play Judd Trump, although Jak of course has reached the final at the Crucible, but he also currently has other things on his mind with the imminent birth of his second child. Let’s just hope that he doesn’t need to abandon the competition mid match because baby has decided to show up a week earlier than scheduled 😉.
World number 69 Liam Highfield, who turned pro in 2010, reached a ranking event semi-final for the first time by beating Stan Moody 5-2 at the Unibet British Open.
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Stoke’s 35-year-old Highfield will face Mark Selby over a possible 11 frames on Saturday from 1pm for a place in the final in Cheltenham. China Open champion Selby built on his fine start to the season by crushing Jack Lisowski 5-0.
Highfield’s career was at a crossroads in 2024 when he was relegated from the tour, but his enthusiasm for snooker did not waver and he regained his card a year later by winning the EBSA European Championship. Since then, with the help of experienced mentor Anthony Hamilton, he has shown the best form of his life, notably reaching the Crucible last season and making his first official 147 during the qualifying rounds of this week’s event.
And in Cheltenham he has conceded just six frames in his four matches, making three centuries and ten more breaks over 50. He took the opening frame today with a run of 73 before 19-year-old Moody – who was also seeking a first ranking semi – levelled with a break of 87. Highfield regained the lead with a 74 then dominated frame four for 3-1.
Moody got the better of a scrappy fifth, then frame six came down to a safety exchange on the final blue. Trapped in a snooker, Moody played a rash hit-and-hope escape, handing his opponent the chance to slot the blue into a centre pocket for 4-2. A run of 56 in the next proved enough for Highfield to continue his best week on the baize.
“It’s a bit surreal after so many years on tour, struggling away in the qualifiers, it’s nice to have a day in the sunshine finally,” said Highfield. “I’ve been playing well all week, pretty much all season so far. I’ve been scoring heavily and my safety’s been tight. When you’re doing those couple of things, if you pot the odd long ball, you’ve got a chance in every match.
“In the sixth frame, we were both feeling it at that stage in the match. He was trying to get back into it and I was trying to get two ahead. I settled down, got my chance in the last and got over the line. Any time I play Mark Selby I’d feel excited and nervous anyway, whether it’s a semi-final or any other match. So I’ll go out and try to savour it, and try to just play some snooker.”
Selby is into his 71st ranking event semi-final and remains on target for his second ranking title of the season and 27th of his career. The Leicester cueman took advantage of an out-of-sorts display from home favourite Lisowski today to score a comfortable victory.
A break of 82 gave world number four Selby the opening frame, and he added the second with 43 and 40. In the third he enjoyed a slice of fortune, escaping from a snooker on the last red and fluking a snooker in return. Lisowski failed to hit the red, left a free ball, and Selby took the chance to clear for 3-0. He added the next two with a top run of 64 as he maintained his superb recent record in this event, having finished runner-up 2023, lifted the trophy in 2024 and reached the semi-finals last year.
Four-time World Champion Selby said: “I felt better today than I did in my previous matches. The third frame was a big moment because he would have been back in the match at 2-1. I know what a talent Jack is and I had to keep him at bay so I tried not to take too many risks. If his shots are going in he’s a world beater, that’s the way he plays and he’s great to watch.“
Judd Trump may have relinquished the world number one position, but he gave a timely reminder of his enduring class with a 5-1 victory over new incumbent Zhao Xintong to reach the semi-finals of the Unibet British Open.
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Trump had a two-year spell as top dog in the rankings until he was eclipsed last month by 2025 World Champion Zhao, and the Englishman admits he was highly motivated tonight to land a blow on his rival. He was by far the superior player as he marched into the last four of this event for the first time. On Saturday from 7pm he will face Jak Jones over a possible 11 frames – the 76th ranking semi-final of Trump’s career and he is hoping to win a 32nd title. He’s also aiming for a second trophy of the season having landed the invitational Shanghai Masters last month.
Breaks of 101 and 57 helped Trump to a 2-0 lead before Zhao pulled one back with a run of 100. China’s Zhao failed to pot a ball in the next two frames as his opponent compiled runs of 51, 54 and 72 for 4-1. In frame six, Zhao had the chance to start a fight-back, but he missed an awkward pink to centre on 18, and Trump’s break of 49 sealed the result.
“It was a big game, I have not been that up for a game for a while,” said 37-year-old Trump. “You always have something to prove when someone takes the limelight and you want to prove to everyone you’ve still got it. I wouldn’t say it was a grudge game, but there was a bit more on the line than normal.
“Sometimes I need that kind of rivalry, or someone there just to really get me back on the practice table and get that determination back. When you get older and you’ve been around so long, you can be a bit flat. These are the kind of games you can really get up for.
“I always enjoy being the underdog and I could feel that inside today. It’s always nice to beat the player that’s number one. The atmosphere tonight was much better, there was a lot more cheering and support out there.“
Jones got the better of a fierce battle against Aaron Hill, winning 5-4 to reach his fifth ranking semi-final. The world number 31 from Cwmbran made the perfect start to the season by winning his first ranking title at the Championship League and is now just two wins away from a second.
After losing the opening frame, Hill took the next two with breaks of 63 and 67, and he had a clear chance in the fourth but missed the final green to a baulk corner and that allowed Jones to square the tie at the interval. A run of 94 from Jones put him 3-2 ahead and he snatched a 45-minute sixth with a 35 clearance.
Hill took the next two frames in just 17 minutes with breaks of 47 and 78 to set up the decider, and he had first scoring chance but made just 14 before missing a red to a top corner. Jones, who was runner-up to Kyren Wilson at the Crucible in 2024, spotted a four ball plant and executed it perfectly, enjoying a slice of fortune as he landed position on the pink. The 33-year-old Welshman went on to make 70 to clinch the tie.
“It was really tough, Aaron is such a good player,” said Jones, whose wife Inna is due to give birth to their second child next week. “We were both under pressure. It was a big frame to go 2-2 when he missed the green because my head was gone at that point. Then from 4-2 he started walking around the table with confidence, so I was very happy to get the chance in the decider and make a good break. Judd has been the best player of the last ten years so it will be very difficult.”
I watched the Highfield v Moody game and one could see that both players were feeling the pressure as none of them has that much experience in matches of such importance. Clearly working with “the Sheriff” has been beneficial for Highfield. Anthony Hamilton may not be everyone’s cup of tea but he’s a very, very knowledgeable person when it comes to snooker2, and is very clever on and off the table. He probably wouldn’t be the best coach for a young aspiring player, but Liam has been on and around the tour for years and is mature enough to be able to fully benefit from “Ants” advice.
I mean experienced at the semi-finals stage of a ranking event ↩︎
and not just when it comes to snooker BTW, he’s a bit special but very clever ↩︎
Only eight players are still standing in Cheltenham …
Here is the report by WST on what went on yesterday:
Unibet British Open Day Four
Stan Moody moved a huge step closer to winning a first ranking title as he beat all-time great John Higgins 4-2 to reach the quarter-finals of the Unibet British Open.
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Rising star Moody, age 19, has equalled his best run in a ranking event, as he also reached the last eight in Cheltenham a year ago. This time he faces Liam Highfield on Friday afternoon with the chance to earn a first semi-final berth.
Four-time World Champion Higgins was far from his best tonight and Moody took advantage, notably with a superb 69 clearance to win the last frame from 61-0 down. “It was quite a scrappy game but in the last frame I thought I might get one more chance and when it came I took it,” said Moody. ““
Jack Lisowski continued to build hopes of victory on home turf as he beat Lyu Haotian 4-1 with top breaks of 92, 59 and 66. Lisowski lives in Churchdown just a few miles away from Cheltenham and is just three wins away from doubling his tally of ranking titles having landed his first at the 2025 Northern Ireland Open.
“The balls were running in my favour today,” said the 35-year-old left-hander, who now meets Mark Selby. “He just seemed to keep letting me in, so I managed to take my chances and keep my concentration. It was nice to win without having to survive another decider. I’ve had a really good week in practice leading up to this and I’m hitting the ball well.
“I feel like my game’s back now and I’ve got to take advantage of it, strike while the iron’s hot, because it’s a very difficult game. Players like me are a bit streaky, so I really need to capitalise when I’m on it. It’s fantastic that it’s 15 minutes away from where I live, but it’s just another tournament, I’m taking it as seriously as possible.“
China Open champion Selby reached his 112th ranking quarter-final with a 4-2 win over Iulian Boiko, making breaks of 67, 53, 65 and 63.
Lisowski is hosting Judd Trump at his house this week and so far the draw has kept them apart. Trump raced to a 4-0 win over David Gilbert with top breaks of 118 and 105 and he now meets the player who has just taken over from him as world number one – Zhao Xintong. The Chinese ace beat Mark Joyce 4-2.
Championship League winner Jak Jones continued his fine start to the season as he beat Artemijs Zizins 4-2 with a top break of 130. Jones, whose wife Inna is due to give birth to their second son next week, now meets Aaron Hill. Ireland’s 24-year-old Hill, another player seeking a first ranking semi-final, saw off Fan Zhengyi 4-0 with a top run of 110.
Liam Highfield produced the best performance of Thursday evening’s session as he beat Long Zehuang 4-1 with breaks of 86, 104, 78 and 102. Highfield is into his third ranking quarter-final and hopes to progress to a first semi.
That report is exhaustive enough, it covers all the matches, there isn’t much to add.
The crowds have been good in Cheltenham all week and that’s good to see.
Jack Lisowski hosting Judd Trump shouldn’t be an issue even if they were to play each other. As young players, in the past, for a long period they shared a flat, so they have been there before and know how to handle it.
As for Stan Moody beating John Higgins … he probably scared the life out of him with that blond hairdo 😂. (Not so) seriously … personally I find it “striking” but not a particularly good idea for someone with Stan’s complexion. But who am I to express such opinion … I’m certainly no fashion guru 😂!
Judd Trump has never been past the quarter-finals of the Unibet British Open but hopes he can improve that record this week and he started strongly by coming from 2-0 down to beat Dylan Emery 4-2 in the opening round in Cheltenham.
For the first time in two years, Trump comes into an event without the world number one status, having been knocked off the top of the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings by Zhao Xintong last week. Down to number five, Trump may feel he can keep under the radar with less pressure and get back to winning ways as he seeks a first title in seven months.
Underdog Emery started well tonight with breaks of 107 and 125 in the first two frames, but Trump stormed back to take the next four with a top run of 111.
“Overall I played OK,” said Trump, who now meets Ricky Walden in the last 64 on Wednesday. “I don’t know what it is about this tournament but I have never done that well. I had a good game against Shaun Murphy in the last 16 last year and just missed out, otherwise in this event I have played poorly. I’m trying to rectify that. In this format you have to get off to a quick start otherwise you’re under pressure.
“I like the random draw for this event, it adds more excitement for people watching on TV. There are good match-ups early on and the draw can open up for players further down the rankings. Personally in any tournament I never know who I’m playing until my brother tells me when I’m about to go on. In the past I would sometimes look too far ahead in the draw and that got me into trouble. So now I don’t look until the last minute and try not to think about who I’ve got.”
Murphy made a strong start to the defence of his title as he saw off Reanne Evans 4-0 with top breaks of 63 and 87. Mark Williams, short of sleep having returned from the Wuhan Open just hours earlier, was thumped 4-0 by David Gilbert.
World Champion Wu Yize edged out Liu Hongyu 4-3 while John Higgins top scored with 92 in a 4-1 win over Hossein Vafaei. Chris Wakelin came from 3-1 down to edge out Luca Brecel 4-3, while Kyren Wilson enjoyed a 4-1 success against Florian Nuessle.
Mark Selby made a 126 in the deciding frame to beat David Lilley 4-3, while world number two Neil Robertson went down 4-1 against Pang Junxu.
Local favourite Jack Lisowski came through a dramatic opening test against Mitchell Mann at the Unibet British Open, winning 4-3 on the final black to reach the last 32.
Lisowski lives in Churchdown, just a few miles away from Cheltenham Racecourse, and the popular potter is sure to draw plenty of support if he can forge a deep run this week on home turf. He was pushed all the way by last year’s quarter-finalist Mann but finished strongly to set up a tie with Ishpreet Singh Chadha in the third round.
“It’s always good to play in front of my home crowd and it would be amazing to win it,” said Lisowski, who landed his first ranking title at the Northern Ireland Open last season. “I’m playing OK but I know I’ll have to get better.”
After losing the opening frame, Lisowski made a 104 for 1-1, then Mann compiled runs of 75 and 71 to go 3-1 ahead and he had chances to seal victory but couldn’t take them. Breaks of 88 and 53 helped Lisowski recover to 3-3, then in the decider he trailed 64-34 but laid a snooker on the last red which set up the chance for a 33 clearance.
Liam Davies enhanced his reputation as one of snooker’s best young British talents as he beat Barry Hawkins 4-2. The 20-year-old Welshman knocked out Ding Junhui and Gary Wilson on his way to the last 16 of the recent Wuhan Open, and he took another scalp tonight as breaks of 91, 64, 74 and 95 helped him to a fine win over world number ten Hawkins.
“I’ve been working with the psychologist Dr Tom Bates and that has really helped me keep the right attitude in matches,” said Davies. “When I get into positions to win I am trying to take them in one chance rather than scraping over the line. It’s a massive part of sport, particularly in snooker when you have a long time sitting in your chair and negative thoughts can creep in.”
Kyren Wilson enjoyed an impressive 4-1 win over Crucible king Wu Yize, while Zhang Anda edged out Chris Wakelin 4-3 after getting the better of a safety battle on the last red in the deciding frame.
Championship League winner Jak Jones was in superb form in a 4-0 win over last year’s runner-up Anthony McGill, knocking in breaks of 118, 131, 53 and 84. Chang Bingyu, who landed his first ranking title just three days ago at the Wuhan Open, kept his hot streak going with a 4-1 win over Chatchapong Nasa.
Ding Junhui fired runs of 86 and 82 in a 4-0 defeat of Sean O’Sullivan, while Elliot Slessor enjoyed a 4-1 success against Jamie Clarke. Thailand’s Thanawat Tirapongpaiboon came from 3-1 down to beat Ali Carter 4-3, making a 76 in the decider.
Iulian Boiko scored the best win of his career so far as he beat Ding Junhui 4-1 to reach the last 16 of the Unibet British Open in Cheltenham.
Ukraine’s gifted Boiko is into the random draw for the last 16, with that round to take place on Thursday evening. It’s his deepest run in a ranking event, other than an appearance in the semi-finals of the Shoot Out last season.
“It’s by far my best win. To beat a legend of the game like Ding, it’s an unbelievable feeling,” said Boiko, who scored breaks of 67, 51 and 55 during a fine performance at the Centaur Arena.
“I found something in practice a month ago. I started playing really well and scoring heavier, which is really important in today’s game. I have been working on the tactical side for a couple of years, but now it’s time to work on my scoring. My position wasn’t great today, but I potted everything to keep the breaks going. There are still things I can improve, but maybe I can play even better.
“I love this venue. The atmosphere is great, it’s nice to play in front of the fans in a big arena, and it feels different to the qualifiers. It’s really inspiring, especially to play with someone like Mark Selby on the next table. If I can beat Ding, then I can beat anyone if I play well.“
Local favourite Jack Lisowski scored his second consecutive 4-3 win as he thrilled his fans with a fabulous fight-back from 3-1 down against Ishpreet Singh Chadha, storming through the last three frames with breaks of 91, 120 and 112.
Mark Selby played all 14 of a possible 14 frames in his two matches today but came through with two 4-3 victories. The China Open champion edged out Lei Peifan 4-3 in the morning session, making a break of 72 in the deciding frame, then in the evening he knocked out Jackson Page with a top break of 113. Selby has now won his last 18 best-of-seven frame matches in this event, nine of those by a 4-3 scoreline.
Wuhan Open champion Chang Bingyu saw his winning sequence ended by a 4-1 defeat against Jak Jones, who fired breaks of 111 and 72. Latvia’s Artemijs Zizins reached the last 16 of a ranking event for the second time as he saw off He Guoqiang 4-1.
Earlier in the day, defending champion Shaun Murphy was beaten 4-2 by David Gilbert, who knocked in breaks of 117, 78, 65 and 87. He now meets Liam Davies in the last 32 on Thursday afternoon. Judd Trump saw off Ricky Walden 4-2 with a top run of 96 and now faces Elliot Slessor. John Higgins edged out Noppon Saengkham 4-3 to earn a tie with Thanawat Tirapongpaiboon. World number one Zhao Xintong saw off Daniel Wells 4-2 – his next opponent is Michael Holt.
I haven’t much to add. The event is actually not that easy to “follow” … especially for someone living in Greece. A lot of short matches, played in parallel, and a very late finish too. It was nearly 3h 30′ this morning here in Greece when the last of “yesterday”‘s matches finished … just as well it ended on a 4-0 score… 😉. And no, I didn’t stay up to watch it.
O’Sullivan fights to cure ‘disease’ that has plagued his game
Xinhua, September 1, 2026
Seven-time snooker world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan says he has a “disease.”
It is not a medical diagnosis. It is how he describes a technical problem he has spent nearly four years trying to cure, one he says has robbed him of the power, direction and confidence that once made him the dominant player in world snooker.
“I call it a disease because it feels like the method that I took on has ruined me,” the 50-year-old said after reaching the semifinals of the World Snooker Wuhan Open last week. “I‘ve got no cue power, got no sense of direction. I don’t know where the balls are going.”
Ronnie O’Sullivan of England competes during the first round match between Ronnie O’Sullivan of England and Liu Linhao of China at the World Snooker Shanghai Masters 2026 in Shanghai, east China, July 27, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Haoming)
His latest withdrawal from the British Open, which begins Monday in Cheltenham, came for medical reasons. But just days earlier in Wuhan, O’Sullivan was still wrestling with the technical problem that has increasingly defined this stage of his career.
Last Thursday, in an all-English quarterfinal against four-time world champion Mark Selby at the Wuhan Open, O’Sullivan fell 2-0 behind before winning three frames in a row. Selby leveled at 3-3, but O’Sullivan finished the match with breaks of 80 and 129 to win 5-3.
Sky Sports called it “his most impressive performance of the season yet.” O’Sullivan called it ugly.
“To be honest, I don’t really have much hope to regain the kind of level that I was at before,” he said at the news conference afterward. “But as it stands, it’s pretty ugly out there for me, and maybe ugly for you guys to watch me play.“
The next day, the difference between what O’Sullivan saw and what others saw became even more striking.
In the semifinal, he faced China’s 24-year-old Chang Bingyu, whom he had coached about a decade ago.
This time, O’Sullivan seemed to lose his connection with the table. Several important shots caught the edge of the pocket and bounced away. At one point, a frustrated O’Sullivan swung his cue through the air, then sat down and shook his head. He eventually lost 6-3.
“Just embarrassing,” he told Xinhua. The “disease” in his game, he added, had “come back big time.“
According to O’Sullivan, the problem dates back six years. At 44, he could have relied on decades of experience and continued playing largely as he always had. But he didn’t. Instead, he decided to learn a technique called “SightRight,” a coaching method designed to help players align their eyes correctly with a shot.
“A lot of people kind of thought it was good,” O’Sullivan said. “It kind of turned against me after three or four years of doing it. So I’m trying to unlearn that, which is really hard to do.”
For most players, experience is supposed to provide something to fall back on when a shot goes wrong. But O’Sullivan said he has lost that safety net.
“As a player, you always have some anchors to hang onto,” he said. “I used to have four or five where if one wasn’t working, I’d try another one, and then that would just get me going. But at the moment, I just have nothing. I haven’t for four years, so it’s just been like a nightmare.“
O’Sullivan has not won a ranking title since January 2024. His seventh world championship came in 2022. Before Wuhan, he had won only one match at each of the Shanghai Masters and China Open this season. He even described himself as a “very poor snooker player.”
Yet there are contradictions in that diagnosis. A player who says he has no sense of direction remains No. 14 in the world, while a player who calls his own technique ugly can still beat some of the biggest names in the sport.
For Wuhan spectator Chen Can, the O’Sullivan he watched was very different from the player O’Sullivan described.
“He beat Carter 5-2, downed Yao Pengcheng 5-1, knocked out Maguire 5-2 and defeated Selby 5-3,” Chen said. “I feel he still has it. His attacking game is still smooth, and he can adjust quickly when he is in trouble.“
Some British fans commenting online offered a simpler diagnosis, saying O’Sullivan “can’t cure it. It’s called ‘age’.”
But O’Sullivan does not buy that explanation. At an age when many players have long since retired, he is still taking his game apart and trying to rebuild it.
“I’ve been trying to do it for a year. I thought I was there, but I wasn’t, and now I’m kind of back to the drawing board,” he said.
He has also sought advice from Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry, who told him they continued playing for perhaps a decade after entering similar slumps.
“I give myself 18 months, maybe, to get into the 2028 world championships, to see if I can get somewhere back to how I used to hit the ball,” he said. “If I hit the ball half decent, then I can still win tournaments.“
An eighth world title in 2028 would give O’Sullivan the outright record for modern-era world championships, moving him beyond Hendry’s seven.
“I’ll try my hardest,” he said. “We’ll have to wait and see.”
I had wondered for some time when this would come out. I eventually did. Not that I knew anything, but Ronnie has always been an instinctive player and trying to “rationalise” his game” was always unlikely to work well for him. I hasn’t.
Also, the “sightright” method was all the rage a few years back from now but It seems to have disappeared from the headlines for some time now, and I haven’t heard any player mentioning it nor have I spotted Steve Feeney at any event for quite a while.
Hopefully Ronnie can rediscover his fluency and starts enjoying his snooker again. Win or loose … but just rediscover joy in his game.
