Ronnie O’Sullivan advanced to the second round of the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield after defeating He Guoqiang with a score of 10-2. The seven-time champion completed the match in just 35 minutes, turning a 7-2 overnight lead into a decisive victory.
Old Cue Makes a Comeback
O’Sullivan revealed that he had retrieved an old cue that had been “stuck under my bed in Ireland” for most of the year. He made the switch in hopes of gaining momentum as he pursues a record-breaking eighth title at the Crucible. After the match, he commented on his previous cue’s performance, stating, “My cue was hopeless yesterday. It was only because I’m feeling all right that I was able to get away with it.”
During the match, O’Sullivan showcased his skill with two centuries, scoring 113 and 100 points in consecutive frames. This victory sets him up for a last-16 showdown against fellow veteran John Higgins, scheduled for Saturday night.
Reflections on the Competition
Despite his success, O’Sullivan expressed uncertainty about his ability to win the tournament, citing a lack of regular competition against top players this season. He acknowledged the challenges of maintaining peak performance, saying, “It’s hard, because I haven’t played enough top players regularly to know.” He also mentioned feeling “a bit rusty” and emphasized the need for improvement.
In a light-hearted moment, O’Sullivan referred to the tournament’s practice room as a “creche” but praised younger players like Stan Moody and Liam Pullen, highlighting their potential to challenge the established order in snooker. He noted, “Stan gave me a little nod the other day. He’s a lovely boy and a great player.”
Earlier in the tournament, Hossein Vafaei began his campaign against Si Jiahui. Vafaei, who is Iran’s first professional snooker player, shared the emotional toll of competing amid the ongoing conflict in his home country. He expressed the difficulty of focusing on his game while worrying about his loved ones, stating, “You get a bad text in the day and you can’t focus on your job. How can I focus?”
Despite these challenges, Vafaei managed to take a 6-3 lead in his match, emphasizing his commitment to representing his country and family during this difficult time.
In another match, four-time champion Mark Selby secured a swift 10-2 victory over 2024 finalist Jak Jones.
Source: Original report