Ronnie O’Sullivan has successfully secured his position in the quarter-finals of the 2025 World Snooker Championship. Despite this achievement, he expressed disappointment, stating he is “nowhere near” his finest form. The esteemed seven-time world champion managed to progress after requiring only 17 minutes to clinch the one frame needed for his advancement against China’s Pang Junxu. After a commanding lead of 12-4 following Sunday’s session, O’Sullivan quickly wrapped up the match with a break of 95, despite Pang initially scoring 17 points.
The beloved Englishman showcased a strong performance in his opening two rounds, winning against Ali Carter 10-4 and later against Pang, 13-4. However, O’Sullivan has faced some challenges recently. He hasn’t played competitively for three months due to a mishap in January, where he snapped his cue and discarded it during a Championship League event. Throughout this championship, O’Sullivan has emphasized that he is in the process of “rebuilding” his game.
Despite being on track for a remarkable eighth title at the Crucible, O’Sullivan conveyed dissatisfaction with his current gameplay. When asked to rate his performance, he surprisingly gave himself a mere “two” on a scale of ten, while acknowledging that he must significantly improve to claim the title. The veteran snooker player mentioned, “I need game time, and I’m trying to get my game back,” adding, “I don’t mind who I play against; I always believe in myself if I can perform close to my best.” He stressed the importance of focusing on one ball at a time, although he admitted that this approach feels challenging for him at the moment.
In other matchups, Luca Brecel, the winner of the 2023 championship, also advanced with a swift victory, securing a 76-0 win against Ding Junhui to finalize a 13-4 match score. Brecel initially lost the first frame but then dominated by winning eleven consecutive frames. Although Ding managed to take three of the last four frames over the weekend, he did not score any points on Monday, leading to Brecel’s solid win. Brecel will meet the 2019 champion, Judd Trump, in the quarter-finals.
Judd Trump himself faced a considerable challenge earlier on the same day as he overcame Shaun Murphy in a tightly contested last-16 match. Trump initially looked to secure a straightforward win, holding a comfortable 12-6 lead. However, Murphy made a remarkable comeback, winning four frames in a row. Yet, Trump retained his composure, claiming the 23rd frame to ultimately win 13-10. Notably, Trump had achieved two century breaks earlier in the tournament, reaching the impressive milestone of 100 centuries for the season, earning him a £100,000 bonus.
With his performance this season, Trump is placed in a position to potentially become the first player to earn over £2 million in a single season if he can secure the world title, which itself has a prize pot of £500,000. Reflecting on the match against Murphy, Trump acknowledged the pressure, stating, “Shaun was in a world of his own for four or five frames, and I was a little bit worried, but I had to back myself in that last frame.” He noted that he has developed a stronger mental fortitude this year, which has positively impacted his game.
In the afternoon session, Si Jiahui also triumphed over England’s Ben Woollaston, winning 13-10. Si previously reached the semi-finals two years ago, narrowly missing out on a win against Brecel in a dramatic match. Despite Woollaston recovering from a deficit to equalize, he lamented his inability to convert opportunities, feeling he let a fantastic chance slip by.
Looking ahead, the quarter-finals of this prestigious tournament hold exciting matchups. On Tuesday, the line-up will feature Zhao Xintong against Chris Wakelin, and John Higgins will face off against Mark Williams. Additionally, the much-anticipated matches of O’Sullivan against Si Jiahui and Brecel against Trump will also take place. Each encounter promises a showcase of skill and competitive spirit, adding to the dramatic narrative of the World Snooker Championship.