Ronnie O'Sullivan 'calls out' own performance as 'pretty bad' despite Wuhan Open round two win - 'I miss playing well and dominating'
By Jonny Bray
Updated 24/08/2026 at 16:21 GMT+1
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Ronnie O'Sullivan has revealed that he expects to perform poorly every time he competes, after a disastrous start to the 2026/27 snooker season. The Rocket was beaten 6-4 in the last 16 of the 2026 Shanghai Masters by Kyren Wilson earlier this summer, before falling to a 6-4 defeat against Noppon Saengkham at the China Open.
Watch: O'Sullivan gestures in apology after fluking long-range red
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O'Sullivan is hoping to turn a disappointing summer around this week at the Wuhan Open, having beaten Ashley Carty 5-2 to book his place in round three.
He admits that he is desperate to return to his best form after failing to ”dominate the table” in recent weeks. Â
”It has been pretty bad for a long time, so I expect to play pretty bad every time I go out there,” the seven-time world champion told World Snooker Tour.
”I know I don't have anything to prove, and that is what everyone keeps telling me. However, for my own selfish reasons I miss playing well and dominating the table, beating anyone who is in front of me.
”I miss that feeling, but there is nothing I can do about it.”
The Rocket will face a tough test in the next stage of the Wuhan Open. He will collide with Yao Pengcheng, who will be playing his first match of the tournament.
O'Sullivan insists that he was not at his best against Carty despite coming out on top.
”My performance was pretty bad really,” he added. ”You have to call it out. I'm not going to lie. I'm not going to try to delude myself and say there was some good stuff.”
A combination of uncharacteristically poor form and a lack of regular tournament appearances means that O'Sullivan’s last ranking triumph came at the World Grand Prix in January 2024.
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This is not the first time that The Rocket has criticised his recent performances. He described himself as a ”poor snooker player” following his elimination from the China Open.
”I'm just very poor,” he said after falling to defeat against Saengkham. ”Too many bad shots, bad frames and silly mistakes.”
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Dramatic conclusion as O’Sullivan knocked out by Saengkham
Video credit: TNT Sports
The final of the 2026 Wuhan Open will be held on August 29 at the Optics Valley Gymnasium.
Defending champion Xiao Guodong is in the draw, and he will get his tournament underway against Jackson Page.
The winner of the clash will play Chris Wakelin in the next round after the Englishman’s last-32 opponent, Steven Hallworth, withdrew from the tournament.
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