Ronnie O'Sullivan enjoys sunny side of life after ending snooker cue crisis in bid for £500,000 Saudi Arabia Masters glory - 'It is just unbelievable'
By Desmond Kane
Published 13/08/2025 at 09:58 GMT+1
React to this story
Ronnie O'Sullivan had a smashing time with his new cue in a 5-0 whitewash of Joe O'Connor in the last 32 of the Saudi Arabia Masters in Jeddah on Tuesday. The snooker GOAT infamously smashed up his old cue during the Championship League in January, but has paid tribute to fellow pro and part-time cue maker Sunny Akani for getting his career back on track. He faces Chang Bingyu in the last 16.
O’Sullivan enjoying his snooker with ‘one of the best cues I’ve ever had’
Video credit: TNT Sports
Ronnie O'Sullivan has joked he would happily smash up his latest snooker cue because he is so comfortable with the ones he has been made by fellow professional Sunny Akani.
World No. 71 Akani has come to the rescue by producing several cues for O'Sullivan, who spent three months out of action after destroying his old cue in a fit of pique during the Championship League in January.
Despite returning for the World Championship in April, the snooker GOAT was unsettled with his fresh equipment and crashed out 17-7 to eventual winner Zhao Xintong in the semi-finals, after changing the ferrule on his cue despite finishing the first session all square 4-4.
He lost all eight frames in the second session session of that match against Zhao in Sheffield, with his confidence on the pot shot to pieces like his trusty old stick.
But it seems the cue crisis is a thing of the past for the 41-time ranking event winner, who whitewashed World Open finalist Joe O'Connor 5-0 in his opening match at the Saudi Arabia Masters in Jeddah on Tuesday.
"I felt I played okay," O’Sullivan told World Snooker Tour after compiling breaks of 116, 89 and 90 to coast past O'Connor, who missed a black off the spot to win the first frame.
"It's alright playing well in one match, but you have to try and put it together for a whole tournament.
"That’s what I was used to doing, and that’s what I’d like to be able to do again."
O'Sullivan was quick to praise the cue-making skills of Akani, whose shot-making also caught the eye when he pushed the Englishman all the way in the 2017 UK Championship.
O'Sullivan won their last-16 meeting 6-5 on the way to winning the title in York that year.
"I’ve got a good cue here," said the seven-time Crucible champion. "Sunny has made me this one, which was great, so I said to him: 'make me a couple more'.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2025/08/12/image-276074fa-73a3-420e-a683-e72b96a1efe0-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
O’Sullivan completes whitewash win over O’Connor with another stunning century
Video credit: TNT Sports
"Because sometimes you think it might be a fluke if they make a good one. But I’ve used three or four of his cues, and they’re all great.
"So I’m like: ‘fantastic, I might smash this one and just get another one!’
"It is like being an engineer, but just with wood. I wouldn't have a clue. Sunny is a very intelligent guy, and he makes unbelievable cues. It is just unbelievable."
O'Sullivan faces 22-year-old Chinese hopeful Chang Bingyu for a quarter-final spot on Wednesday at 17:30 UK time after the world No. 104 upset former Masters and UK champion Mark Allen 5-4.
- Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters 2025: Scores, results and schedule
- 'I enjoyed this shot' - O'Sullivan chooses his top pot from last year's Saudi Arabia Masters
The victor will face world No. 2 Kyren Wilson, who won the last three frames to edge out Ukraine's Iulian Boiko, or Si Jiahui in the last eight on Thursday.
Wilson defeated Si 5-4 and O'Sullivan 6-3 on his way to winning the Shanghai Masters earlier this month.
"They are phenomenal players. It would be interesting: how would they fare if we were at our best? It would be interesting to see," said Dubai-based O'Sullivan, who described the Jeddah event like a home tournament.
"I know you can't play well all the time, but it would be nice to get into the flow of putting good matches together, and then you can think about winning a few matches ugly to get some trophies.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2025/08/12/image-6a457c10-ef71-4c01-b022-e168a5951df0-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
O’Sullivan delivers classy century in Saudi Arabia – ‘Immaculate cue control’
Video credit: TNT Sports
"I think Kyren was just phenomenal in China. I’ve played him a couple of times, and he plays at a John Higgins sort of level of top play.
"It is probably the biggest compliment you can give someone, but I always like to think that if I’m on it, I can always find a way to win.
"It is great to still be playing at this stage of my career."
The last 16 of the Saudi Arabia Masters gets underway at 11am UK time on Wednesday, August 13, with O'Sullivan facing Chang in their best-of-11 frame encounter at 5:30pm, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Watch and stream top snooker action live and on demand on TNT Sports and discovery+
Related Topics
Advertisement
Advertisement