For some snooker gamers, altering their cue can be a traumatic expertise – not for Ronnie O’Sulivan.
The 50-year-old, a seven-time world champion, used a special cue on Wednesday to the one he performed with on Tuesday, and each had the identical dominant impact.
His 10-2 victory over Chinese language debutant He Guoqiang was the joint largest thus far on the 2026 World Championship and saved O’Sullivan on target for a record-breaking eighth Crucible title.
He led 7-2 after Tuesday’s first session and breaks of 62, 113, 100 on Wednesday, all inside an hour and all along with his back-up cue, arrange a mouth-watering last-16 tie in opposition to four-time winner John Higgins.
“The tip is extra essential than the cue – that is why I introduced two cues,” stated O’Sullivan, who admitted it had been a dangerous tactic.
“I have been saving this all yr as a result of it had a little bit of life in it and I assumed ‘if I come right here and my fundamental cue is not any good…’.
“The tip wasn’t good yesterday. I did an excellent job, contemplating. I assumed ‘a little bit of a roll of the cube,’ it was a chance. You must again your self. I make some loopy choices in everyone else’s eyes, however they make full sense to me.
“I used to be a bit nervous as a result of I assumed you would look a bit foolish.”
As a substitute of trying foolish, O’Sullivan make two century breaks in three rapid-fire entertaining frames earlier than an enthralled Crucible crowd, which included former Manchester United and England midfielder Paul Scholes.
It practically acquired higher too.
Within the penultimate body of the match, O’Sullivan regarded on target for a most 147 break, potting 9 reds and eight blacks, earlier than opting to go for a blue in a break of 113.
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