Ronnie O’Sullivan has exited the Northern Ireland Open in Belfast after a 4-3 defeat to qualifier Cheung Ka Wai, who is ranked 110th in the world. Cheung took the final three frames consecutively to secure his first main draw knockout victory in a ranking event.
The loss marks O’Sullivan's first match on UK soil since his defeat to John Higgins at the World Championship in Sheffield in April. Despite making a 138 total clearance in the second frame, the seven-time world champion, aged 50, made several errors that allowed his opponent to capitalise.
Cheung, who joined the tour in 2024, described the win as the "best moment for me on the snooker tour." O’Sullivan had previously stated in April that he intended to focus on financial incentives this season, noting that he expects a fee to participate in tournaments.