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.Â
“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.Â
“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.
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.”Â
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.
Previously, I had set up a separate blog for the Seniors snooker, but it never developed as I hoped it would. Partly because the events are short with significant gaps between them, and partly, maybe even mainly, by lack of interest in these events and that’s a shame really. Older players, who have spent all their professional life on the pro tour deserve a platform where they can still play the game competitively, without having to cope the huge stress of the pro tour cut-throat competitiveness. Make no mistake, they ARE still competitive, they still want to win and they still can play! Jason Francis WSS tour offers them that platform.
The first of those events took place a couple of weeks ago.
Last year’s World Seniors Snooker Championship semi-finalist made the perfect start to the campaign as he came through a record field of 68 players to take an early lead in the race to the Crucible Theatre.
Steadman, who earned a return to the professional ranks at the end of last season via the WPBSA Q Tour Play-Offs, was one of three current World Snooker Tour (WST) players in the star-studded line-up – alongside former ranking event winner Ryan Day and 2021 World Seniors champion David Lilley.
He made the perfect start by whitewashing Roshan Bappoo in the last 64 with a top break of 112 – a contribution only eclipsed over the weekend by Lilley (132) and James Brown (133).
A 4-1 defeat of last years four-time event winner Gerard Greene followed before Steadman overcame Karl Ashmore (4-1) and Stuart Watson (4-0) to set up a semi-final contest with Lilley.
Breaks of 61 and 51 put Steadman 2-0 ahead and he never looked back as a visit of 78 in the sixth frame completed a 4-2 win and earned him a place in the final.
Galbally, aged 42, was awaiting him in the title match after he had beaten last season’s qualifier Daniel Ward in the last four, after Ward had previously stunned former top 16 player Day in the previous round.
The day ultimately belonged to Steadman though, as he offered up an assured performance that featured breaks of 77 and 83 to earn a 4-0 victory and the first title of the campaign.
As it is now, that WSS tour is far from perfect. For a start, in recent times, nearly all events were played in the UK. It wasn’t always that way. Before covid they had events in mainland Europe, notably in Belgium and Germany. I hope that someday they will be “resurrected”.
China’s Chang Bingyu defeated compatriot and 2025 World Champion Zhao Xintong 10-7 to win the Wuhan Open and claim ranking event glory for the first time.
There were emotional scenes after Chang got himself over the line with a remarkable clearance. Chang got a required snooker in the decisive frame, with several of the balls still close to cushions. He then cleared with 34 from the final red, in a sequence of shots which involved a double on the blue. Prior to attempting the final ball he went back to his chair to steel himself, before stepping up and depositing the black.
Victory sees Chang become the tenth ranking event winner from mainland China. He exorcises the demons of his first ranking final appearance last season, when he was soundly beaten 9-2 by Chris Wakelin at the 2025 Scottish Open.
24-year-old Chang showcased his vast potential across the whole of the 25/26 campaign. Alongside his run to the Edinburgh title match, he also pocketed a bumper £147,000 bonus by virtue of making 147s in UK Championship and World Championship qualifying.
The result moves Chang up 23 places in the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings from 45th to 22nd. Zhao was already guaranteed to become world number one for the first time before a ball was struck today and moves to top spot from third position.
Defeat for Zhao ends his perfect record in ranking event finals, having won each of his previous six. He falls one short of Steve Davis’ record of consecutive victories in his first seven ranking title matches.
Chang came into the evening holding a narrow 5-4 advantage and he added to it immediately with breaks of 64 and 57 to move 7-4 ahead. Zhao halted Chang’s momentum by taking the 12th on the black and then made a break of 60 to draw within one at 7-6.
A pulsating 14th frame saw Zhao miss a straightforward brown and leave it over a baulk pocket at Chang’s mercy. In a bid to find position on the blue Chang went cushion-first and missed the ball altogether. Zhao made no such mistake and drew level at 7-7.
Chang then made 73 to hit the front again and claimed a tight 16th to move one from victory at 9-7. The following frame provided high drama, with Chang eventually getting over the line with his incredible 34 clearance. As he returned to his chair, he found himself in tears following a momentous triumph.
“I’d been very tense throughout the match, so I wanted to let myself go a little bit. In the last frame I just thought I had to go for the double on the blue. Fortunately it went in, and I was able to clear up,” said an elated Chang.
“Last year I was really disappointed to lose the final in Scotland. After losing that final, I wanted the title so badly. From then on, I kept telling myself every day that if I reached another final, I had to take the opportunity.
“Before the match, I honestly didn’t think I could beat him. He is the new world number one after all, so I just wanted to learn from him. I’ve watched a lot of his matches over the past few years and learned a great deal from him. So I went into the final with the same attitude of learning.
“I’m really grateful to my parents. They’ve really sacrificed a lot for me. When I was very young, my dad sold our house and quit his job so that he could accompany me to practise in Guangdong. He also accompanied me when I went to England. Over the last couple of years my mum has been with me every day, looking after my day-to-day life. I’m really thankful to them.”
Zhao said: “Although I’m a little disappointed with the result today, I think for me personally it’s just one match. I can’t be in finals forever or win every time. Of course, I didn’t play particularly well today, so I think it was quite normal that Chang was able to win the match. His game, and that of many of the younger Chinese players, has already reached a very high level.“
I like both of them as players, I like their positive attitude, I like that they go for their shots1. I’m very happy for Chang. I know that many “fans” of a player tend to “hate” that player opponents when they beat their favourite. I’m not at all like that. When a player beats Ronnie, I want them to win the tournament because I’m much happier with the thought that Ronnie went out at the hands of the eventual champion than I am with the thought of him being beaten by someone who lost and exited the tournament the next day…
