Ronnie O’Sullivan knocked out of Champion of Champions by Xiao Guodong
Ronnie O’Sullivan was knocked out by China’s Xiao Guodong in the first round of the 2024 Champions of Champions in Bolton.
The 48-year-old O’Sullivan, a four-time champion of this event, led 3-0 in the best-of-seven game, but lost 4-3 after a wonderful reversal from Xiao Zhan.
Seven-time world champion O’Sullivan scored 95 and 125 in the second and third games respectively to advance to Thursday’s quarter-finals at Toughsheet Community Stadium.
But Xiao Zhan scored 130 points, 88 points and 85 points in a single stroke, and finally won the final game 64-35.
This was O’Sullivan’s second consecutive defeat. Last week, he was eliminated in the top 32 of the 2024 International Championship by Pang Junxu, also from China.
Sean Sean will face Mark Selby in the quarter-finals after beating fellow Englishman Sean Murphy 4-2 in the quarter-finals.
Selby scored break scores of 96 and 132, winning the final game 115-0.
