Ronnie O’Sullivan loses to Kai Wai Cheung in Belfast
Ronnie O’Sullivan endured a fraught return to Belfast’s Waterfront Hall on Monday afternoon, ultimately suffering a deciding-frame defeat to world number 110 Kai Wai Cheung in the opening round of the tournament. The 23-time Triple Crown winner looked visibly exasperated during the early stages of the match, struggling for rhythm before losing in a dramatic conclusion reported by The Irish News.
Early Struggles Give Way to Flashes of Brilliance
For snooker fans gathered in Belfast for the Waterfront Hall proceedings on Monday afternoon, the seven-time world champion’s presence marked his first appearance in the city in four years. Yet the opening frame betrayed little of that anticipation as O’Sullivan offered a series of uncharacteristic errors. Cheung capitalised on the mistakes to claim the early advantage with relative ease.
The momentum shifted sharply in the second frame. O’Sullivan found his cue action, constructing a break of 56 before following up with a speedy, sublime clearance of 138 that drew rapturous applause from the auditorium. Another strong contribution of 72 stretched the lead to 3-1, though an over-eager strike at a middle-pocket pink brought an abrupt end to that visit.
Cheung Capitalises on Late Errors in Deciding Frame
A missed pot from the veteran allowed Cheung back to the table. The lower-ranked challenger seized control by compiling an 88 break, then followed with a composed 77 to level the score at 3-3 and force a deciding frame. In the final shootout, O’Sullivan blinked first, and Cheung responded with a break of 60 to seal the match.
The defeat compounds a turbulent opening phase for the tournament’s seeded players.
High-Ranked Casualties Mount Across the Field
World number three Judd Trump became the latest high-profile exit on Monday evening, losing a 4-3 encounter against Martin O’Donnell after twice being a beaten finalist in previous editions at the venue. Earlier in the day, world number 10 Barry Hawkins fell 4-2 to Daniel Wells, while number 11 Chris Wakelin suffered a 4-1 defeat against Jamie Jones.
Only five players from the original top 16 remained in contention following the withdrawals of world number two Wu Yize and number 15 Ding Junhui. Among them, reigning 2024 champion Kyren Wilson progressed smoothly into the last 32 with a whitewash victory over Belgian competitor Ben Mertens, featuring an 82 break in the third frame.
Elsewhere in the schedule, Luca Brecel defeated China’s Lei Peifan 4-1, Jak Jones overcame Tom Ford by the same scoreline, and former world champion Stuart Bingham eliminated Yao Pengcheng 4-2. The tournament continues as remaining seeds enter the draw.