World Snooker Championship 2025 LIVE RESULTS: Ronnie O'Sullivan CRASHES OUT to Zhao in semis, Trump vs Williams TODAY
The Rocket's evening session has started with him trailing 12-4 after a a nightmare morning where he lost EIGHT consecutive frames.
O'Sullivan took the first two frames of the second period of action but was immediately pegged back.
The sport's greatest player would pull just one more frame back but the contest was done and dusted as Zhao was relentless to reach the final with a 17-7 win.
In the other semi-final, Judd Trump and Mark Williams are level on 8-8 after a thrilling afternoon - that match will resume at 10am.
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Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Ronnie O'Sullivan responds to calls for him to QUIT snooker as he makes remarkable U-turn
Ronnie O'Sullivan has faced constant questions about his future in the sport but the seven-time world champion has hit back at suggestions he could retire after withdrawing from the Wuhan Open Snooker star Ronnie O'Sullivan has insisted he will decide when he retires from the sport after pulling out of the Wuhan Open due to medical reasons - as he U-turned on his claims that the next generation of players were not good enough. The 49-year-old was due to play Allan Taylor in the opening round of the competition this week before withdrawing and there has been mounting speculation O'Sullivan's days in snooker could be numbered. It is the latest tournament 'The Rocket' has pulled out of this year, leading to fears of retirement, while he even stunned fans by snapping his beloved cue in half at the start of the year. O'Sullivan is one of the greatest players in the history of the sport after winning seven world titles. Despite fears O'Sullivan could soon retire, he has still be in superb form after winning five of his last seven matches. Last week, he hit two 147s in the same match against Chris Wakelin in the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters. O'Sullivan is still expected to appear at the English Open next month and he has now hit back at suggestions his storied career could soon be coming to a close. "I've always said I'd be the first to let you know when I'm done, finished or gone or whatever it is," the veteran star said. "I was getting written off in 2012 and I played probably my best snooker when I won the World Championship. I did say then: 'Don't ever question me. I'll let you know when I'm done'." He previously claimed he was still playing at the highest level because the standard of new players coming into the sport had dropped and said they would even struggled to cut the grade at amateur level. "If you asked me then (if I thought I'd still be at this level), then no," he told the BBC at the time. "If you look at the younger players coming through, they're not that good really. Most of them they'd probably do well as half-decent amateurs, not even amateurs they're so bad. So that's really why we're still hovering around, because of just how poor it is." But he made a remarkable U-turn on the next generation as he claimed there were some "fantastic players", which meant he was unable to win games like he had in the past. "I'm not done," he added. "I'm not definitely on a downward curve. At my age playing these youngsters, they're some fantastic players, I'm never going to win like I used to. "I'm never going to be the favourite for the tournaments. It's going to be Kyren Wilson, Judd Trump and Zhao Xintong. I'm in that bracket behind where if I play well, I've got a chance. Maybe rely on one of the top guys to not play well or get beaten. Anything can happen, you know."
Wales Online
a day ago
- Wales Online
Ronnie O'Sullivan's actions in TV studio were something pundit had 'never seen before'
Ronnie O'Sullivan's actions in TV studio were something pundit had 'never seen before' Ronnie O'Sullivan is no stranger to turning heads - and his former rival Ken Doherty says he was shocked at the Rocket's behaviour after his semi-final clash at the Saudi Arabia Masters Ronnie O'Sullivan raised eyebrows and turned heads at the Saudi Arabia Masters (Image: Getty Images) Snooker legend Ken Doherty admitted he was gobsmacked after witnessing Ronnie O'Sullivan's uncharacteristically joyous reaction in the TV studio following his unprecedented double 147 display. It was behaviour the Irishman says he's "never" seen from the Rocket before. On Friday, O'Sullivan, 49, once again etched his name into snooker folklore, becoming the first competitor ever to make two maximum breaks in the same match, achieved in his Saudi Masters semi-final against Chris Wakelin. The first of the two came right in the opener of the best-of-11 - and to underline his dominance, he added breaks of 134 and 142, dazzling fans with his consistency and flair. But it was his rare exuberance off the table that caught Doherty's eye. "I don't think he has ever been like that after a match," he said to the Express, via Betway. "When he came into the studio, we were having a good laugh with him, Ronnie was happy, was laughing his head off and normally he downplays everything, but he seemed really in a good place which was great to see." The Irishman was quick to praise the magnitude of the double 147 achievement itself. "They were just incredible," he said. "Just to witness that live and for it to be on TV was just unbelievable, it was unprecedented. It was historic and was absolutely amazing. But it is what Ronnie O'Sullivan does and it was an incredible best of 11 [frames], two 147 breaks, a 134 and a 142." Equally striking to Doherty was Ronnie's delight with his new piece of kit. "He was really happy with his new cue as well. I think the guy who made the cue for him, Sunny Akani, is going to be very busy over the next few months making cues for all different people. It was great to see him in good form, good spirits and playing so well." Article continues below Doherty says O'Sullivan was unprecedentedly jubilant after the semi-final (Image: Getty) Despite O'Sullivan occasionally flirting with retirement, Doherty feels there's plenty left in the tank. Recalling Ronnie's dramatic Saudi final against Neil Robertson, where he battled back from 7-2 down only to lose 10-9, he said: "The way he played and the level of which he played in, even in the final to come back from 7-2 down against Neil Robertson to go 9-8 up, I thought he was unlucky and Neil Robertson did really well to win 10-9. "But I thought Ronnie was unlucky with the couple of splits that he had and he could have won the game 10-8 or 10-9 because he was in the last frame as well. But Ronnie can go on for another few years and could even continue until he is 60 if he wants to." As someone who repeatedly locked cues with the Rocket during the '90s and early 2000s, Doherty believes an eighth world title remains O'Sullivan's great motivation. "I think Ronnie wants to win that elusive eighth world title and it will be high on his priority," he explained. Ken Doherty was knocked out in Round 2 of the Saudi Arabia Masters (Image: Getty) "He likes to play in the big tournaments. The Saudi event you could see how much it means to him; he was banging the table with frustration when things weren't going well which is a good sign that he really wants to win it. "He loves the big tournaments like the Saudi one, the Masters, the UK and the World Championship, which is his main priority. Ronnie loves winning and is a winner, he's always won and wants to keep winning and stay at the top for as long as he can." From his own experience of trying to stop O'Sullivan, Doherty emphasised the challenge of blocking out the Rocket's aura. "When you played Ronnie, you used to try not to think about who you were playing," he said. O'Sullivan and Doherty have enjoyed a healthy rivalry for years (Image: Getty) Article continues below "Play your own game and it was like trying to hold onto a racehorse but it was very difficult at times but you have to play your own game and concentrate about that because if you think about Ronnie's game all of the time, well then you are on the backfoot but if you can be confident in your own game. "I think that's what was so great about Neil Robertson, he focused on his own game and didn't worry about who was in the other chair or with it being Ronnie. It was an honour for him to play Ronnie, but it also inspired him and that's the attitude you need when you play against these great players." With O'Sullivan seemingly embracing the sport with fresh enthusiasm, Doherty believes snooker fans will be seeing plenty of Rocket magic for years to come. His verdict was clear: when Ronnie's in this frame of mind, absolutely anything is possible.
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Daily Mirror
Ronnie O'Sullivan pulls out of tournament on medical grounds amid British Open fears
Ronnie O'Sullivan was in fine form at the recent Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters but has made a late withdrawal from a tournament just a month before the British Open Ronnie O'Sullivan's involvement in the upcoming British Open has been put in doubt after the veteran withdrew from the Wuhan Open. O'Sullivan, 49, is set to miss the Chinese tournament on medical grounds. " Ronnie O'Sullivan has pulled out of next week's Wuhan Open in China for medical reasons," a World Snooker Tour statement read. "O'Sullivan was due to meet Allan Taylor in the opening round on Sunday August 24. He will be replaced in the draw with the leading player from the Q School rankings, Germany's Umut Dikme." The Wuhan Open runs from August 24-30, with the English Open getting up and running on September 11. The British Open follows not long after that, with the Cheltenham event starting on September 22. The specific reason for O'Sullivan's absence in China has not been unveiled, so it is unclear whether he will be able to return to action next month. It's not the first time O'Sullivan has pulled out of an event for medical reasons, either. An unspecified issue forced him to withdraw from last autumn's Northern Ireland Open at the eleventh hour, and also made a late decision to sit out the Welsh Open in February. The Rocket spoke publicly after the latter decision, sympathising with fans who had travelled to watch him play. "I realise plenty of people who bought tickets to some recent snooker events will have been frustrated when I withdrew, so I just wanted to say sorry to those of you who've been disappointed with me having to pull out of those tournaments," he said. "I've been trying to prioritise my health and well-being, which sometimes means making last-minute decisions not to play. "It's never an easy decision and I hate letting people down. I'm doing what I can to get back to my best, and I'm grateful for all your support and understanding." O'Sullivan's latest withdrawal comes hot on the heels of an impressive display at the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters in Jeddah. He hit two maximum breaks in a semi-final victory over Chris Wakelin, netting a six-figure prize in the process, but lost 10-9 to Neil Robertson in a thrilling final. "Neil deserved to win, he was the better player," O'Sullivan said after the defeat. "I just tried to hang on to him and make a game of it. I was pleased to do that, he was outplaying me at 7-2. When I came here I would have been happy just to win a couple of matches. I was pleased with my performances." Robertson, a former world champion, was thrilled to claim victory after a tough spell. "It feels great to be back in this position," he said. "Coming here last year I was 28th in the world. Hopefully my story will inspire younger generations because you should never give up, you will get ups and downs but it's not about how far you fall, it's about how far you bounce." Legends of the Ryder Cup special edition Legends everywhere you look - and we celebrate them in this special edition as Europe and the USA prepare to do battle again in New York. The great Tom Watson once said: 'The Ryder Cup creates idols. It creates legends. It creates memories that last.' He was spot on.
