O’Sullivan loses to Cheung in NI Open return

Ka Wai Cheung beat Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-3 in the first round of the Northern Ireland Open in Belfast, recovering after trailing 3-1. The result is a notable upset: Cheung is ranked 110th, while O’Sullivan is world number 13, and eight of the nine top-16 players who had competed at the venue had already been eliminated.

O’Sullivan, 50, was playing at the tournament for the first time since 2022 and in a UK event for the first time since April’s World Championship. Breaks of 56, 138 and 72 put him ahead, but Cheung responded with runs of 88 and 77 before making 61 in the deciding frame. The 27-year-old Hong Kong player said winning under pressure against a snooker legend was a satisfying experience.