Eight-time winner Ronnie O’Sullivan crashed out of the UK Championships after losing 6-4 to China’s Zhou Yulong in the first round at the York Barbican on Tuesday.
O’Sullivan, who turned 50 on Friday, was playing his first match at a UK tournament since a 17-7 defeat to Zhao Xintong in the World Championship semi-finals at the Crucible in Sheffield in May.
Despite making fast and entertaining breaks of 71, 123, 62, 94, 65 and 56 against Zhou, O’Sullivan lost four frames on black, including the seventh frame when he had a 64–0 lead but lost it 65–64.
Zhou, ranked 29th in the world, was never behind and an excellent clearance of 125 took him a frame away from a 5-3 win.
He was ahead at the beginning of the ninth frame but could not secure the victory. However, another opportunity soon arose.
O’Sullivan led 58–46 in frame 10, but lost ground when switching from yellow to green and this helped Zhou seal a stunning victory.
Englishman O’Sullivan, recognized by many as snooker’s greatest ever player, now lives in Dubai with his family and is far more selective about the tournaments he plays in.
He had beaten the 27-year-old Zhou in each of their previous seven meetings, but this result continues a fierce competition for China, which has had seven Chinese players in the last 16.
On table two, two-time UK champion Mark Selby was in great form with a 6–2 win over Chinese qualifier Lei Peifan.
Selby made breaks of 51, 82, 75 and 133 to lead 5–0, before Lei kept his hopes alive by winning two consecutive frames, but the Englishman took the lead in the eighth frame.
More to follow.
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