Rocket Hits Rock Bottom: O'Sullivan Calls Himself 'Very Poor' After China Open Humiliation

The Verdict

Ronnie O'Sullivan has never been one to sugarcoat things, but his post-match assessment after a 6-4 second-round defeat to Noppon Saengkham at the China Open in Taiyuan on Wednesday was as bleak as we've heard from the seven-time world champion in a long time. "I'm just a very poor snooker player at the moment," the 51-year-old told the World Snooker Tour — and if you're considering backing him in his next event, that quote should be pinned to your monitor as a warning.

What Happened in Taiyuan

Saengkham, ranked 45th in the world and not the kind of name that makes bookmakers sweat, had already turned the China Open on its head by dumping out world number one Judd Trump in the opening round. Dispatching O'Sullivan in the second round means the Thai potter has now eliminated the top two players on the planet inside 48 hours — a run of form that would be remarkable at any tournament, let alone one of the sport's premier ranking events.

O'Sullivan, meanwhile, was candid to the point of being brutal about his own shortcomings. "Too many bad shots, bad frames, and silly mistakes," he said, before adding that he has been playing this way for four years and is, in his own words, "used to it." That is not the language of a man who is about to rediscover his best form. It's the language of a player who has made peace with a prolonged slump — and that should significantly influence how you approach any market involving the Rocket going forward.

The Numbers Don't Lie

Let's put O'Sullivan's current situation into hard context. He has now gone more than two years without lifting a ranking title, with his last success coming at the World Grand Prix in January 2024. In that time, early exits have become a recurring theme, punctuated only by a run to the World Open final in March where Thepchaiya Un-Nooh denied him what would have been a much-needed confidence boost. He has also slipped to 14th in the world rankings — a position that would have seemed unthinkable just a few seasons ago for a man who spent the majority of his career operating either at or near the summit.

At 51, physical decline is an obvious factor the snooker world is reluctant to say out loud, but O'Sullivan himself seems willing to acknowledge a loss of sharpness that goes beyond mere bad luck. When a player of his calibre describes his own game as poor across a four-year window, it's not false modesty — it's a data point you'd be foolish to ignore when building your bets.

Saengkham: The Real Story Here

If O'Sullivan's exit is a cautionary tale, Noppon Saengkham's run is the genuine betting story emerging from Taiyuan. The Thai number one's best previous performance at ranking level was a final appearance at the 2023 Scottish Open, where Gary Wilson edged him out. Now he's in the China Open quarter-finals having beaten the world's top two players back-to-back, and he faces Shaun Murphy — fresh from a 6-2 win over Xiao Guodong — in the last eight.

Saengkham is cue-in-hand confident right now. O'Sullivan himself acknowledged as much, saying: "He played a really good match, he is cueing strong." When the man you just beat publicly praises your form, take notice. At the odds currently available for Saengkham to win the tournament outright, there is genuine each-way value given the scalps already on his board.

Elsewhere in the Draw

David Gilbert is another player demanding attention after a superb 6-2 dismantling of reigning world champion Wu Yize on Wednesday. Gilbert compiled breaks of 132, 122, 80, 56 and 54 — the kind of scoring that speaks to a player in serious nick. He'd already thrashed home favourite Ding Junhui 6-1 earlier in the tournament, and he now faces Zhou Yuelong in the quarter-finals. If you're looking for a solid each-way pick to complement a Saengkham flutter, Gilbert's current form makes him very hard to leave out of your coupon.

The Bigger Picture for O'Sullivan Bettors

The honest advice here is simple: treat Ronnie O'Sullivan as a square price in any ranking event until further notice. His name still attracts significant market interest, which means bookmakers price him shorter than his recent results justify. A 14th-ranked player whose own self-assessment is this damning should not be attracting the odds he typically commands purely on reputation. Back the form horses — Saengkham in China, Gilbert wherever he plays next — and resist the temptation to back the Rocket out of nostalgia.

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