Watch 'unlucky' moment as Ronnie O'Sullivan's 147 maximum bid ends in 'surprising fashion' at Shanghai Masters
Updated 27/07/2026 at 15:21 GMT+1
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Ronnie O’Sullivan made the ideal start to his 2026/27 snooker season with victory in the first round of the Shanghai Masters - but it could have been even sweeter for 'The Rocket' as he missed out on a 147 break in ”surprising fashion”.
'That was unlucky!' - O'Sullivan accidentally pots pink to end promising break
Video credit: TNT Sports
Seven-time world champion O’Sullivan was competing at his first major event of the new season in Shanghai, and opened against teenage wildcard Liu Linhao.
O’Sullivan was too good for Liu as he won 6-1 to set up a meeting with top seed and defending champion Kyren Wilson in the last 16.
The 50-year-old made four 50-plus breaks as he started his bid for a record-extending sixth Shanghai Masters title, but saw a shot at a maximum break come up short.
The table looked well set for a crack at a 147 in the fifth frame as O’Sullivan potted reds and blacks up to 48.
But as O’Sullivan looked to add another red, he inadvertently potted the pink into the middle pocket, which spelled the end of his break.
The mishap stopped a surprised O’Sullivan in his tracks while there were groans of disappointment in the audience.
”The break ends in surprising fashion,” said Philip Studd on TNT Sports commentary.
Co-commentator Neal Foulds added: ”That was unlucky.
”O’Sullivan set up the chance to play through the bunch and really bring everything out into the open, but you don’t know where all the balls are going to finish and the disappearance of the pink into the middle pocket was the end of the break.”
The miss did not prove costly to O’Sullivan’s chances of winning the match, as Liu missed a red with the rest soon afterwards.
O’Sullivan secured the frame at his next visit, and won the seventh to advance to the next round.
He will next be in action at 12:30 UK time on Tuesday when he faces Wilson.
O’Sullivan has made a record 17 maximum breaks, four more than second-placed John Higgins in the all-time standings, and six ahead of Stephen Hendry.
Liam Highfield became the latest player to join the 147 club when he produced the first competitive maximum of his career in a 4-1 win over Stephen Maguire, in the opening round of British Open qualifiers in Leicester on Friday.
It was the 245th maximum of the modern era and comes only two years after Joe O'Connor compiled the 200th 147, at the Championship League in February 2024.
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