Snooker superstar Ronnie O'Sullivan has suffered a stunning first-round exit at the UK Championship in York, defeated 6-4 by China's Zhou Yuelong.
A Historic Victory for Zhou
In a major upset at the Barbican Centre, world number 29 Zhou Yuelong secured the most significant win of his career by overcoming the record eight-time champion. This marked Zhou's first ever victory over 'The Rocket' in their eight meetings. The match was tightly contested, with Zhou stealing two crucial frames on the black to maintain his momentum after O'Sullivan had clawed back a two-frame deficit.
O'Sullivan's Ropey Performance
O'Sullivan, who turns 50 on Friday, saw his hopes of forcing a deciding frame evaporate when he broke down on the yellow in the tenth frame. Zhou then coolly cleared the colours to seal the famous win. Reflecting on the loss, O'Sullivan admitted: "That was a bit of a ropey performance. I missed a lot of balls and I didn't deserve to win." Despite the defeat, the seven-time world champion insisted he was not overly downbeat and had enjoyed playing in the tournament.
This was O'Sullivan's first competitive match in Britain since his World Championship semi-final loss to Zhao Xintong back in May. The snooker legend, who now resides in Dubai, revealed he had no grand plans for his milestone birthday, stating he would "probably go for a run, eat some nice food, and watch some snooker" before heading back to his temporary base in southern Ireland.
What Happens Next?
Zhou Yuelong's reward for this landmark victory is a last-16 clash against former world champion Mark Selby. Selby secured his own passage with a 6-2 win over Chinese opponent Lei Peifan, shrugging off a minor revival during their match. The focus now shifts to whether Zhou can capitalise on his newfound confidence following this seismic result against one of snooker's all-time greats.
