UK Snooker Championship LIVE: Ronnie O’Sullivan dramatically beats Zhou Yuelong in tight quarter-final

O’Sullivan edges past Zhou 6-5 for a place in the semi-finals at the York Barbican as Hossein Vafaei beats Zhang Anda 6-4

Ronnie O’Sullivan reveals he was 'on phone to Samaritans' at snooker world championships

Ronnie O’Sullivan returned to action at the UK Snooker Championship with a dramatic win to book his place in the semi-finals at the York Barbican. O’Sullivan is bidding for an eighth UK Championship crown this week but for the second round in a row needed a deciding frame to advance, as he fought his way past Zhou Yuelong 6-5.

‘The Rocket’ got off to a flyer as he raced into a 3-0 lead, including a break of 125 in the opening frame, and then led 4-1. But Zhou hit back with four frames on the spin as the wheels came off the O’Sullivan train and he seemed destined for defeat at 5-4 behind.

But, as he has so often done before, he found another gear to level the match at 5-5 and then a ruthless break of 122 in the decider sealed the deal and set up a semi-final clash with Hossein Vafaei, in a rematch of their fiery World Championship clash from earlier this year.

“Technically I was all over the gaff,” said O’Sullivan after his win. “Out of desperation, I started to play alright in the last two frames. Before that, I was going through the motions. I was so frustrated and so disappointed with how I played, that didn’t feel any pressure. I wasn’t nervous, he was playing better and I deserved to lose. “

Relive the action from the UK Championship below:

Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Zhou Yuelong live updates

• Ronnie O’Sullivan dramatically beats Zhou Yelong 6-5 in quarter-final of UK Snooker Championship
• RESULT! Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-5 Zhou Yuelong
• O’Sullivan lets 4-1 lead slip to trail 5-4 before winning final two frames to sneak into semi-finals

[1 December 2023 12:46 · Luke Baker]

Ronnie O’Sullivan on his new Amazon documentary: ‘It was harrowing watching it back’

Through the door of a swish London hotel, held open by a concierge; into the dimly lit lobby, past an open fire and smart dinner guests, into a shiny lift; down a corridor lined with abstract art, around a bend to the very end where the last door waits in semi-darkness; through to a suite with a long table scattered with sandwiches and cream scones – Ronnie O’Sullivan’s favourite food – where his agent and various publicists mill; to a leather sofa at the far end.

This is where O’Sullivan is holed up, an hour before his movie premiere in London’s Leicester Square. He emerges from another room with a smile, offers a fist bump and sits down. He is dressed in a blue jumper, dark jeans and smart shoes. Executive producer David Beckham is among the famous guests coming to celebrate O’Sullivan, journalists are here to ask questions and fans are sitting in cinemas around the country to watch the film and a live Q&A afterwards. And he’s dreading it.

“If I’d have looked at the contract before doing this and it said you’ve got to do a premiere, I’d have probably said, ‘that’s me out then’,” O’Sullivan says with a grin. “When we started, they said there’s going to be a film festival and I was like, ‘I’ve got to go to that?’ They were like, ‘yeah’. I was like, ‘f**k’.

[1 December 2023 12:39 · Luke Baker]

Ronnie O’Sullivan into UK Championship quarter-finals but claims he doesn’t ‘really care’ any more

Downbeat Ronnie O’Sullivan has warned he will continue “stinking out gaffes” after he limped into the quarter-finals of the UK Snooker Championship with a 6-5 win over Robert Milkins in York.

O’Sullivan, who is playing in trainers due to suffering from the heel injury plantar fasciitis, made his frustration clear as he almost blew a 5-3 lead before rallying to earn a last-eight slot against Zhou Yuelong.

“I don’t understand how this game works,” shrugged O’Sullivan. “I gave up a long time ago. I just keep turning up and stinking out gaffes. I stunk it out today and I’ll stink it out tomorrow. You’ll have to get a mask to watch me play.”

Despite hitting a 142 in frame five, O’Sullivan, who is aiming for a record eighth UK crown, was far from his best, and expressed his irritation after serving up one of three glorious opportunities for Milkins in the decider by dropping his cue onto the table.

But Milkins, whose solitary win over O’Sullivan in 11 previous attempts had come at the single-frame Shoot-Out in 2002, failed to capitalise, missing a pink then a simple red to middle, before finally dangling a red over the bottom pocket that effectively sealed his fate.

[1 December 2023 12:31 · Luke Baker]

When is the UK Championship and how much is the prize fund?

When is the UK Championship?

The UK Championship began on Saturday 25 November and will conclude with the final on Sunday 3 December at the Barbican in York. 32 players compete in the main draw.

How much is the prize fund?

Competing players share total prize money of £1,205,000, with the winner in line to receive £250,000. An additional £15,000 is available to the player who compiles the highest break, while two maximums made across any of the three Triple Crown events this season will be rewarded with a £147,000 bonus.

[1 December 2023 12:25 · Luke Baker]

Today’s schedule

UK Snooker Championship - Friday 1 November schedule

13:00

Ronnie O’Sullivan v Zhou Yuelong

Zhang Anda v Hossein Vafaei

19:00

Judd Trump v Mark Selby

Mark Williams v Ding Junhui

[1 December 2023 12:19 · Luke Baker]

UK Snooker Championship schedule today including Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump

The UK Snooker Championship continues with another intriguing day of action in store at the Barbican in York, including Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Selby and Judd Trump, but John Higgins and world champion Luca Brecel are out.

O’Sullivan warned he will continue “stinking out gaffs” after limping past Robert Milkins 6-5 and now takes on Zhou Yuelong.

Zhou’s compatriot Zhang Anda continued his remarkable surge to prominence as he beat world champion Brecel 6-4 with breaks of 124 and 68 in the final two frames.

Zhang won the International Championship and reached the English Open final in recent months and takes on Iran’s Hossein Vafaei, who fired three centuries and a further break of 94 in a 6-1 thrashing of Matt Selt.

[1 December 2023 12:16 · Luke Baker]

UK Snooker Championship live

Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of the UK Snooker Championship.

Ronnie O’Sullivan continues his campaign with a quarter-final against Zhou Yuelong at the York Barbican. Stick with us for full live coverage.