Ronnie O'Sullivan has once again etched his name into snooker history by making the sport's highest-ever professional break with a 153 during the World Open in Yushan, China. The seven-time world champion achieved the feat against Ryan Day on Friday, calling it 'a pretty cool moment' and expressing happiness to have done it.
The 50-year-old, now in the semi-finals of the tournament, has been enjoying a new chapter in Dubai after selling his £130,000 canal boat and leaving the UK. O'Sullivan revealed in October 2025 that his wife, Laila Rouass, was instrumental in the decision, as she was not keen on moving to Sheffield. 'She said we either go to Spain or Dubai,' O'Sullivan told The Sun. 'I thought, well, Dubai is nearer China. All the tournaments that I play... it just made sense.'
O'Sullivan purchased the 60-foot narrow boat, named Morfe Lady Three, in 2018, but listed it for sale just a year later for under £130,000. He had previously lived on a boat in London and loved it, but work commitments prevented him from using it. In Dubai, he enjoys great practice facilities and gyms, with the move also providing easier travel to tournaments in China and the Middle East.
The snooker star also operates an academy in Saudi Arabia. His representative stated that O'Sullivan sought a 'quieter life' overseas. Meanwhile, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has caused disruption, with four people injured in a missile strike at Dubai International Airport, though O'Sullivan was understood not to be in the region at the time.
