Ronnie O’Sullivan names his toughest and most gutting Crucible defeats

Ronnie O’Sullivan is preparing for his 32nd consecutive world snooker championship campaign at the Crucible Theatre, but the record-equalling seven-time champion has recently been looking back at some of his most frustrating times on the sport’s biggest stage. 

In an interview on the Eurosport Snooker YouTube channel, ‘The Rocket’ was asked by presenter Rachel Casey to select his hardest matches in Sheffield. 

Perhaps surprisingly to some, O’Sullivan chose his deciding frame loss to Barry Hawkins in the last 16 of the 2016 event, and a defeat to Ding Junhui in the quarter-finals twelve months later. At both events, O’Sullivan believed it was a missed opportunity as he felt good about his overall chances of taking home the trophy once again. 

In 2017, O’Sullivan defeated qualifier Gary Wilson 10-7 and then former champion Shaun Murphy 13-7 to help set up a tasty last eight duel with Chinese superstar Ding who had reached the final for the first time the previous year. 

O’Sullivan got off to a poor start as he fell 3-0 behind and was playing catch-up throughout the tie. Speaking to Casey about the early stages of the match, the Englishman explained that he was annoyed about a spectator in the audience: “I had chances but there was someone in the crowd that I didn’t want there and it played in my mind, but I thought ‘get him out’ and once he was out, I was fine.” 

However, the deficit widened in the second session as Ding went five clear at 10-5. O’Sullivan rallied in the closing chapter of the contest, reducing the gap to two and compiling a break of 146, but Asia’s first world number one got across the line 13-10.

Pain against Ebdon in 2005

O’Sullivan was also asked about his memorable Crucible encounter with former champion Peter Ebdon in 2005. 

The Essex Exocet was the reigning champion having secured his second world crown the year before. After a 10-9 comeback win against Stephen Maguire in round one, O’Sullivan defeated Ali Carter 13-7 to reach the quarter-finals where he met Ebdon.

Things were going swimmingly for O’Sullivan at 8-2 up in the race to 13, but a determined and resourceful Ebdon managed to claw himself back into contention. At the same time, the wheels began to fall off for the title holder.

The match is particularly remembered for Ebdon’s ‘deliberate’ playing style which made an increasingly agitated O’Sullivan even more frustrated. Having recovered to just one behind at 10-9, Ebdon famously compiled a break of 12 which took more than five minutes, leaving a suffering O’Sullivan restless, but helpless in his chair. 

Regardless of what people thought of his approach, Ebdon’s strategy worked as he recorded an emotional 13-11 victory. 

Despite being put through the wringer, though, O’Sullivan described how he was more upset with himself than his opponent. “That was hell. Not through him or because of him, it was just my own hell. I just couldn’t pot a ball. 

“It was frustrating, it was boring. I thought, I’m playing badly, I’m getting no enjoyment from my own performance and I’m getting no enjoyment from watching him. 

“If I played well, I go ‘I can cope with what he is doing’ because I’m enjoying what I’m doing, but if I’m not enjoying what I’m doing, at least I want to enjoy what my opponent’s doing and have a bit of respect for the shot they’re playing. But with Ebdon, there was nothing. I could be here all day, I’m not going to make 20, and I’ve got to watch you play and it was like double pain. Pain on pain!” 

A dethroned O’Sullivan was philosophical immediately following the loss. He referenced speaking to his conqueror after the match saying to Ebdon: “Well done mate, no hard feelings from me, I know you’ve got a family to feed, and you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. I just wish you the best of luck.” 

Looking back at the defeat, O’Sullivan also told Casey: “I was cool. I was glad it was over; I didn’t want to play another three days of not great snooker.” 

Ronnie O’Sullivan begins his 2024 World Snooker Championship campaign against young qualifier Jackson Page on Wednesday 24th April. Full draw and daily schedules for the event can be viewed here.