'I answered Ronnie O'Sullivan's call for help at the Crucible – he was a gentleman'

Wales Online

08-05-2025

'I answered Ronnie O'Sullivan's call for help at the Crucible – he was a gentleman'
Seven-time Crucible champion Ronnie O'Sullivan surprisingly made big changes to his cue between sessions during his semi-final defeat to Zhao Xintong at the World Championship
Ronnie O'Sullivan struggled with his cue throughout the World Championship
(Image: Getty )
The cuemaker who answered Ronnie O'Sullivan's plea for help during the World Championship says the snooker legend was the perfect customer.
Despite sharing the first eight frames of his semi-final against Zhao Xintong, the Rocket was having problems with his cue, leading him to reach out to Martin Chesworth of Chesworth Cues in Sheffield. Many were taken aback by the move, including Chesworth himself, who was mid-haircut when the unexpected call came in from the seven-time world champion.
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With a history of working on O'Sullivan's cues previously, he agreed to undertake the challenge, which entailed swapping out both the tip and ferrule (the metal sleeve under the tip).
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"I was in the barbers and he rings me," Chesworth told the Express. "He sounded a bit anxious. He was adamant he wanted it changing. He wanted the titanium ferrule off and a brass ferrule putting on.
"I was asking him questions because I wanted to make sure we'd got the stuff in. When I work on someone's cue, I don't just put a ferrule on and then sand the cue down to fit the ferrule. I actually alter the ferrule to fit the cue. We do sympathetic restoration, not leaving it looking like it's been butchered.
"I stayed back after work and did the job. I put him a decent tip on as well. I then dropped it round to where he was staying. He said, 'Do you want to have some tea with us while you're here?' I couldn't stay because I had other things to do.
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Martin Chesworth with O'Sullivan after delivering his altered cue
(Image: Chesworth Cues )
"But I had a glass of water with him and we had a good chat about tips. He always asks about those things. He's very easy to get along with, very genuine, appreciative and very generous, so he's got some lovely qualities.
"I got a text later on from him and he said, 'It's better.' I just wished him well and that was the last I heard from him. He's very generous and that's perhaps a quality people don't know about him.
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"When I've done jobs for him in the past, he's always been friendly, upbeat and genuine. What more could you ask for from a customer?"
Despite the modifications, O'Sullivan's luck did not turn as he suffered a heavy 17-7 loss, with most of the damage coming in a disastrous Friday morning session where he lost eight frames in a row. This led to fresh questions over the Rocket's wisdom in altering his cue during such a huge match.
O'Sullivan's cue after being altered by Martin Chesworth
(Image: Chesworth Cues )
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Chesworth faced some backlash himself for undertaking the work but says he was on a "hiding to nothing". He added: "I'm not the player, I'm only the bloke who did the job. People have said, 'Why did you change it for him?'
"But he's grown up. What am I supposed to do, say I'm not doing it and he goes somewhere else, knowing full well I can do that job?
"I was on a hiding to nothing. I was damned if I did and damned if I didn't. If he'd won the World Championship this week, it would have been, 'Isn't Ronnie a great player?' When he loses, they blame the ferrule! Anyone who makes cues would love the opportunity to work on Ronnie O'Sullivan's."
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Chesworth, with 35 years of cue craftsmanship under his belt, has provided his services to many top snooker talents, including the newly-crowned world champion Zhao, who practises at the nearby Victoria's Snooker Academy.