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RONNIE O’Sullivan has shared his plans for his 50th birthday, coming right after his unexpected exit from the UK Championship in York.
The snooker legend faced a surprising 6-4 defeat against Zhou Yuelong in the first round at the Barbican on Tuesday.
O’Sullivan will not be claiming his eighth UK Championship title this yearCredit: PA
The seven-time world champion had never faced a loss to Yuelong in their previous eight encounters before this first-round surprise.
This event marked his first appearance on British soil in more than six months, with his last outing being at the World Championships in May.
Following his disappointing defeat, O’Sullivan mentioned that he intends to travel to Ireland to watch the remainder of the tournament.
Although he has moved there with his new wife this summer, he maintains a base in Southern Ireland where he can relax with friends.
He stated, "My plans now? I’ll be leaving tonight. I’ll arrive in Ireland [on Wednesday] and watch it on television. I do enjoy watching it."
Regarding his milestone birthday, which falls on Friday, he described it as involving a run, ‘great food’, watching snooker, and a gym session, calling the day “pretty boring, really.”
The usually candid O’Sullivan acknowledged that his performance against Yuelong was subpar, referring to it as “a bit of a shaky performance,” attributing much of it to a switch to harder tips.
O’Sullivan remarked, “I’ve started using harder tips. The one I used in Saudi Arabia felt great, and China was good as well.
“I’m not making excuses; I never do that. That’s just not my style. However, I think all players are experimenting with different tips.
“I’ve switched to a harder one. Perhaps my touch and feel aren’t as good; I’m not sure. Maybe I need to return to something with a bit more flexibility.”
At this point in O’Sullivan’s career, the only pressure he truly feels comes from himself.
He is widely considered the greatest, if not the most skilled and accomplished, snooker player of all time.
With that in mind, O’Sullivan is learning to be less critical of himself.
He commented, “As you age, you tend to worry less about the things you once stressed over.
“Now, the focus is on enjoying life. If I play well and lose, I feel even more disappointed, but if I don’t play well and lose, I simply accept that it wasn’t my day.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Ronnie O'Sullivan's plans for his 50th birthday?
Ronnie O'Sullivan plans to celebrate his 50th birthday with a run, enjoyable food, watching snooker, and a workout session, describing the day as "pretty boring."
What was the outcome of Ronnie O'Sullivan's match in the UK Championship?
Ronnie O'Sullivan suffered a surprising 6-4 loss to Zhou Yuelong in the first round of the UK Championship.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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