Ronnie O’Sullivan, a seven-time world champion, faced a tough 6-3 defeat to Chang Bingyu in the Wuhan Open semi-finals on Friday, admitting that “the disease came back big time today.” The 50-year-old snooker legend, who hasn’t won a ranking event in over two years, was candid about his ongoing struggles with depression and anxiety after the match.
The Battle on the Baize and Off It
It was a rough outing for ‘The Rocket’ in Wuhan. O’Sullivan lost the opening two frames against Chang but showed some of that classic fight, pulling himself back into the match to head into the mid-session break level at 2-2. But when play resumed, 24-year-old Chang Bingyu took total control. He won two frames in a row to lead 4-2, and even though O’Sullivan snagged one back, Chang sealed the deal with breaks of 69 and 48 in the following frames. That win booked Chang a spot in Saturday’s final and marked his very first victory against O’Sullivan. Chang was humble about it, saying, “Every time I play against Ronnie, it’s a pleasure,” and acknowledged, “He probably wasn’t in the best form today, and I managed to take some of the opportunities that came my way.” This came after O’Sullivan battled back from a tough spot himself, taking down China Open winner Mark Selby 5-3 in the quarter-finals on Thursday.
“I’d Hate To Finish My Career Like This”
O’Sullivan has been open for years about prioritizing his mental health, withdrawing from tournaments and discussing his battles with depression and anxiety. After the loss to Chang, he didn’t pull any punches, saying, “If I’m honest I don’t think I will ever get over it.” Despite the raw emotion, O’Sullivan confirmed he’s not hanging up his cue just yet, committing to play for another “18 months.” He added, “I don’t want to throw the towel in just yet. I’ve committed to playing until then. I want to give myself a chance. I’d hate to finish my career on performances like that.” He hasn’t won a ranking event since January 2024, a two-year drought that clearly weighs on him.
Chang Bingyu will now face either Xiao Guodong or new world number one Zhao Xintong in the final. For O’Sullivan, it’s about seeing out those next 18 months and hoping he can find a way to perform at a level that feels worthy of his legendary career.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by BBC Sport.
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