Ronnie O’Sullivan admits that he is yearning for a return to form, despite reaching the last 16 of the 2026 Wuhan Open in China.
The Rocket showed glimpses of his true standard during a 5-1 defeat of Yao Pengcheng on Tuesday, but it was clear that he was also struggling internally with the inconsistency of his performance.
That was particularly true in the third frame when O’Sullivan cut an immensely frustrated figure after making a series of uncharacteristic errors.
The 50 year ended the contest with a trademark century break, but that wasn’t enough to brighten his outlook afterwards.
“I just miss playing well,” Ronnie O’Sullivan told the World Snooker Tour. “I don’t care whether it is when I’m practicing 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. 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 hasn’t won a ranking title since early in 2024, and his early-season form suggests that it will be difficult for him to end that barren spell this week.
The seven-time world champion was equally despondent with his own display at the recent China Open, where he called himself “a very poor snooker player” following a last-16 defeat to Noppon Saengkham.
The Englishman will be hoping to go at least one round better in Wuhan when he takes on old rival Stephen Maguire on Wednesday.
Despite being far from his best, O’Sullivan remains the fourth favourite in the outright betting market with odds of about 7/1 at most online bookmakers.
Elsewhere, the race to end August as the world number one is heating up with Judd Trump, Zhao Xintong, Neil Robertson, and Mark Selby still in the running to claim top spot.
Trump has held the coveted position for two years and would prolong his tenure with victory in Wuhan, where he also triumphed back in 2023.
The Shanghai Masters champion faces Si Jiahui, while China Open champion Selby encounters Pang Junxu.
The match between rising Chinese star Chang Bingyu and six-time ranking event winner Ali Carter is also in the bottom section of the draw.
Zhao and Robertson, meanwhile, could set up a barnstorming quarter-final clash against one another if they emerge from their respective fixtures against Barry Hawkins and Liam Davies.
If neither Trump nor Selby win the tournament, the outcome of the world number one battle will be determined by who among Zhao and Robertson goes the furthest in the competition.
Reigning champion Xiao Guodong can’t be discounted in this event, though.
A Wuhan winner in both 2024 and 2025, Xiao extended his unbeaten streak in the tournament to 16 matches and will face Chris Wakelin for a spot in the last eight.
Mark Williams and Daniel Wells clash in an all-Welsh affair in the other game on Wednesday.
Featured photo credit: WST
