Ronnie O’Sullivan punches table as he’s dumped out UK Championship first round
Ronnie O’Sullivan couldn’t hide his frustration as he punched the table in his shock UK Championship defeat to Barry Hawkins. Rocket Ronnie was the reigning title holder – winning it for a seventh time last year – but will now see a rival pick up the crown in York. GettyO’Sullivan had a tough time against Hawkins[/caption] Hawkins – the world No.20 – had been losing 3-1 and 4-2 at the Barbican but came back to secure a stunning 6-4 win. It was his first win over O’Sullivan in eight years and now sees him into the last-16. But his defeated opponent, despite gracious comments was clearly feeling the frustration of missed opportunities, thumping the table with his fist after a ‘silly’ missed ball. He said: “I don’t know what happened. I don’t want to analyse it. I think Barry played a good game. “I didn’t seem to get much of a chance at 4-2 up. I missed a red from the middle and from that moment onwards, he kept me out. It was game ball, an important ball, a good chance. “I felt like I was in control of the match up until then. But then you miss silly balls and the game never forgives you. That’s what snooker does to you. I have no complaints really.” Snooker icon Stephen Hendry gave his opinion on the loss, claiming O’Sullivan may have just been a little ‘rusty’ after a spell away from the baize. O’Sullivan said: “Possibly I’m a bit rusty. But I will leave that up to the experts and just do what I am doing.” Thankfully, he’s not looking too hard at the defeat though, insisting he won’t take the loss too hard. “Barry played a good match and deserved his win, so I have to give all the credit to him,” added O’Sullivan. “He played well, was solid and took his chances. O’Sullivan looked on to pot the redBBC After missing the shot, a clearly annoyed O’Sullivan clenched his fistBBC And he thumped the baize in annoyanceBBC “I’m just enjoying playing, that’s the important thing. I try to not look back on it and on to whatever the next event is.” Rival Hawkins is now still in with a shout of the £250,000 prize for the winner, and was delighted to make the most of the legend’s slip-up. The Hawk, 45, said: “That has been a while. I thought I’d try to keep at him, be a bit aggressive, and I managed to find some form. “I felt good at the start. I missed a couple of middle-distance balls and he punished me. I stuck at him, didn’t give up, I found some rhythm and I got in the zone. “I have let myself down so many times when I have played Ronnie. I have given him too much respect. “He has had some stinkers against me and I have not taken advantage of them. I have crumbled under pressure. That’s a massive win for me. GettyHawkins was in brilliant form to bounce back against O’Sullivan[/caption] “Towards the end I felt alright. I hit balls in the interval. I just passed the time. I knuckled down, tried to keep him under pressure and started to play better. “I have beaten Ronnie – who knows what might happen now? That performance has been coming for a while. It is all about confidence and self belief for me.”
Ronnie O’Sullivan couldn’t hide his frustration as he punched the table in his shock UK Championship defeat to Barry Hawkins.
Rocket Ronnie was the reigning title holder – winning it for a seventh time last year – but will now see a rival pick up the crown in York.
Hawkins – the world No.20 – had been losing 3-1 and 4-2 at the Barbican but came back to secure a stunning 6-4 win.
It was his first win over O’Sullivan in eight years and now sees him into the last-16.
But his defeated opponent, despite gracious comments was clearly feeling the frustration of missed opportunities, thumping the table with his fist after a ‘silly’ missed ball.
He said: “I don’t know what happened. I don’t want to analyse it. I think Barry played a good game.
“I didn’t seem to get much of a chance at 4-2 up. I missed a red from the middle and from that moment onwards, he kept me out. It was game ball, an important ball, a good chance.
“I felt like I was in control of the match up until then. But then you miss silly balls and the game never forgives you. That’s what snooker does to you. I have no complaints really.”
Snooker icon Stephen Hendry gave his opinion on the loss, claiming O’Sullivan may have just been a little ‘rusty’ after a spell away from the baize.
O’Sullivan said: “Possibly I’m a bit rusty. But I will leave that up to the experts and just do what I am doing.”
Thankfully, he’s not looking too hard at the defeat though, insisting he won’t take the loss too hard.
“Barry played a good match and deserved his win, so I have to give all the credit to him,” added O’Sullivan. “He played well, was solid and took his chances.
“I’m just enjoying playing, that’s the important thing. I try to not look back on it and on to whatever the next event is.”
Rival Hawkins is now still in with a shout of the £250,000 prize for the winner, and was delighted to make the most of the legend’s slip-up.
The Hawk, 45, said: “That has been a while. I thought I’d try to keep at him, be a bit aggressive, and I managed to find some form.
“I felt good at the start. I missed a couple of middle-distance balls and he punished me. I stuck at him, didn’t give up, I found some rhythm and I got in the zone.
“I have let myself down so many times when I have played Ronnie. I have given him too much respect.
“He has had some stinkers against me and I have not taken advantage of them. I have crumbled under pressure. That’s a massive win for me.
“Towards the end I felt alright. I hit balls in the interval. I just passed the time. I knuckled down, tried to keep him under pressure and started to play better.
“I have beaten Ronnie – who knows what might happen now? That performance has been coming for a while. It is all about confidence and self belief for me.”
