Ronnie O’Sullivan suffered a painful last-16 exit at the China Open in Taiyuan today, squandering a commanding 3-1 advantage against Thailand’s Noppon Saengkham.
Despite producing breaks of 95, 77 and 64 during the contest, the seven-time world champion was unable to maintain his grip on the match.
Saengkham won five of the remaining six frames to complete a remarkable turnaround and advance to the quarter-finals.
The defeat represented another dispiriting chapter for the 50-year-old, who has struggled to recapture the consistency that defined his peak years.
Ronnie O’Sullivan admitted he is a “very poor snooker player at the moment”
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It was a collapse that left the Rocket in characteristically unsparing mood afterwards.
Speaking in the aftermath, O’Sullivan offered a withering verdict on his own performance.
“I’m just very poor. Too many bad shots, bad frames and silly mistakes,” he said.
“I have been like this for four years, so I’m used to it, but it’s frustrating.”
The Rocket was also keen to credit his opponent’s display. “I don’t want to take anything away from Noppon; he played a really good match, he is cueing strong,” he added.
“I’m just a very poor snooker player at the moment; it’s as simple as that.”
The candid self-assessment hinted strongly that O’Sullivan believes his finest days may now be behind him.
Thailand’s Noppon Saengkham came back to beat Ronnie O’Sullivan in the China Open
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His ranking has now slid to 14th in the world, though this decline owes much to a drastically reduced playing schedule over the past 12 months rather than poor results alone.
O’Sullivan has not claimed a ranking title since January 2024, a barren spell that stretches well beyond 18 months and counting.
The combination of infrequent appearances on the circuit and early exits when he does compete has steadily eroded his standing in the rankings.
For a player who has dominated the sport for three decades, finding himself outside the top ten underlines the scale of the challenge he faces in his twilight years.
O’Sullivan has made no secret of the fact that his primary motivation for continuing on tour is the pursuit of a record-extending eighth World Championship crown.
Speaking earlier this year, he said: “I would love to win another World Championship; I’ve got two attempts here.”
He indicated that 2028 would serve as a natural point of reflection.
“I am pleased with my career, I am happy with how things have gone, and I just want to try and enjoy these next two years, and I’ll reassess it in 2028,” he explained, adding: “I am definitely not going to be playing qualifiers, put it that way.”
