Ronnie O’Sullivan admits he’s gone 'four years without hitting the ball well' after error-strewn Wuhan win - 'I just miss playing well'

Seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan admitted he’s gone ”four years without hitting the ball well” after an error-strewn performance against home favourite Yao Pengcheng at the Wuhan Open on Tuesday.

O'Sullivan beat Yao 5-1 to book a last-16 meeting with either Stephen Maguire or world No. 116 Artemijs Zizins on Wednesday, but the third frame was marred by an alarming spell in which he botched three straightforward reds in a row.

”I just miss playing well”, O’Sullivan said. ”I don’t care whether it is when I’m practising or when I’m on the match table. 

”I miss hitting the ball well. I’ve always said it. You can look back on my interviews. 

Wuhan Open

McManus: Trump 'a different player' as world No. 1 delivers back-to-back whitewashes

21 hours ago

”Since I was 17, I’ve always just wanted to hit it well. I’ll tell you if I have and if I’ve not then I’m sad I haven’t. 

”Before I might have gone one or two months without doing it, but to go four years without hitting the ball well is far too long for any human to take, hitting poor shot after poor shot.”

O’Sullivan’s spate of misses stunned the TNT commentary booth. 

”What a miss. Goodness me. What a miss,” said TNT Sports commentator Philip Studd as O’Sullivan missed the first of three straightforward reds. ”These pockets are not small. We know that. 

'A really good way to end' - O'Sullivan seals Yao victory with century

Video credit: TNT Sports

”We know that they’re playing fairly generously. That was a terrible miss. Seemingly there was no difficulty about the shot, but at the moment, O’Sullivan has nothing to beat.”

With Yao missing his next shot, O’Sullivan had a chance to make immediate amends, only to miss the same red again.

”Oh my goodness me. What are we watching?” said Neal Foulds, the former world No. 3.

Foulds continued: ”Knowing O’Sullivan as we do, if he wins this match, but continues in this way, he will be... disappointed doesn’t cover it, he will be crestfallen. 

”Because he doesn’t see a win as a win, does he? He’s not that sort of player. He likes to be playing well. 

”I’ve known him lose matches, and say 'I’m happy with my game. I’m enjoying myself'. And then win, and be thoroughly miserable about it. 

”Honestly, I’m not sure what I'm seeing. The standard has completely fallen off a cliff.”

After missing a third consecutive red, Studd concluded: ”Hard to fathom really. Both players are struggling terribly in this passage of play.”

O'Sullivan was also critical of his performance in Monday's 5-2 win over Ashley Carty.

---

Add TNT Sports as a preferred source here to enjoy more content like this.

Download the TNT Sports app on iPhone and Android.

Wuhan Open

'Pretty bad for a long time' - O'Sullivan misses dominating matches

Yesterday at 16:21

Wuhan Open

Wuhan Open 2026: Scores, results, schedule, prize money as O'Sullivan returns to action

an hour ago