HOSSEIN VAFAEI was close to tears after making an “unforgivable” mistake in his World Open victory over Ronnie O’Sullivan.

The Prince of Persia defeated O’Sullivan 5-4 in the last 16 at the Yushan Sport Center in China on Thursday.

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However, the Iranian almost neglected his chances of victory during a dramatic final frame.

Vafaei looked on course to win before missing a straight red, leaving the commentators stunned.

His mistake allowed the Rocket to return to the table, with O’Sullivan opening a 26-point lead after potting the final red.

He then missed a black pass along the cushion and gave the initiative back to Vafaei, who eventually won the match.

He told me afterwards WST.tv: “I’m still shocked at how I missed that red to be honest. I feel great, but to be honest, I’m still shocked at how I missed that red.

‘I went down so fast [on the shot] that my eyes could see nowhere. That was unforgivable.”

Revealing how emotional he was during the final frame, Vafaei continued: “I had to control myself, but inside I was almost crying, how did I miss that?

“Because I saw red on the position on the table and suddenly I said: ‘That’s done, I did it’. And then suddenly I missed red, I don’t know how.”

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The eventful clash of the last 16 was earlier disrupted by a “xylophone” sound from the crowd.

Vafaei’s victory sets up a quarter-final meeting with Ding Junhui for a place in the last four.

This week’s World Open concludes on Sunday with the winner taking home £170,000 in prize money.

RONNIE O’SULLIVAN plans to use exhibitions to sharpen his game for the Crucible.

The world number 1 exited the last 16 of the World Open when he lost 5-4 to Hossein Vafaei in Yushan.

Iran’s Vafaei, 29, came from 63-37 down in the final frame and only sealed the win on the final suit after O’Sullivan missed a routine black.

The Rocket, 48, is his own worst critic, rating his technique and execution over the past two years – since becoming king of Sheffield – as only “four or five out of ten”.

To win a record eighth world title this spring, O’Sullivan will engage in a friendly shootout.

He said: “It wasn’t intentional. Many things are fate.

“Usually the better player wins 99 times out of 100. This is how the match goes.

“He deserved his win, he played better snooker. Disappointingly I didn’t play well enough to win.

“I’m doing a number of exhibitions in Hong Kong. I’m coming back to China for a tour in May.

“I’m trying to figure out why I don’t feel good there when I play.

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“I’m winning, I’m participating, but I’m not hitting the ball well. I think I play better when I know I’m doing more exhibitions.

“I’m learning to relax in front of a crowd. It’s difficult when you play matches against very good players all the time. You compete for ranking points.

“I have to find a way to get my game back.”

RONNIE O’SULLIVAN left commentators shocked as he fumed after missing a simple shot.

The Rocket will play this week at the World Open in Yushan, China.

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O’Sullivan, 48, got through his first round match against Michael White with a 5-3 win.

But the win didn’t come without the legend losing patience as he tried to close out the match at 4-3.

O’Sullivan stepped to the table and tried to shoot a red into the far corner.

But he made a bad mistake when the ball hit the pad instead of falling into the pocket.

The eight-time Masters champion stuck out his tongue in frustration and grimaced.

He then hit his cue against the side of the table.

Eurosport commentators were shocked as they said: “It’s some of those mid-range shots. He’s absolutely furious. Crikey.

“He could have gotten the lump out of his cue.”

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O’Sullivan will face Lyu Haotian in the next round.

Rivals Luca Brecel and Judd Trump also won, but John Higgins suffered a defeat to Jackson Page.

The winner of the tournament hosted at the massive Yushan Sports Center will take home a whopping £170,000.

RONNIE O’SULLIVAN competes today at one of snooker’s largest permanent venues – a venue that could become a future home to the World Championship.

The World Open, shelved for five years due to the Covid pandemic, will be held this week at the grand Yushan Sports Center in China’s Jiangxi province.

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A five-hour drive south-west of Shanghai, the Center claims to be the world’s first purpose-built venue designed specifically for billiards and snooker events.

The building, which looks like something out of Disneyland Paris, has a construction area of ​​35,500 square meters and is 25.7 meters high, the equivalent of an eight-storey building.

The arena for the cloth campaign has 3,000 permanent seats, but there is capacity for an additional 1,000 seats.

And should the Rocket go far this week – there’s £170,000 on the table for the winner on Sunday – there’s a good chance every seat will be filled.

The seven-time world champion will play Welshman Michael White in the first round on Tuesday and he already has more than £1 million in prize money on the table this year.

The sports center is the centerpiece of an ambitious project to form the Yushan International Billiards Culture City project, which is estimated to cost more than £200 million.

The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), the sport’s governing body, claims the building has “high-quality maple flooring from Canada to prevent vibrations and ensure snooker tables remain stable at all times”.

These are said to be “the most advanced soundproofing materials to minimize distractions for the players.”

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LED screens are said to have been installed at each entrance so fans can follow the latest scores between frames.

And there are up to “45 bespoke rooms” suitable for snooker and other indoor sports.

There are also areas for the media, tournament staff, commentators and drug testers, while other facilities include a heated swimming pool, gym, children’s play area and fitness centre.

Jason Ferguson, president of WPBSA, said in September 2018 that China wants to make Yushan County a “home” for snooker.

And given the sheer size and scope of the Centre, this opens up the debate as to whether it would ever be a suitable venue for the World Championships.

Traditionalists might want to stay at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre, which opened its doors to action in 1977 and will celebrate its 50th anniversary of top-level snooker in 2027.

Yet the hall there can only accommodate fewer than 1,000 seats and the contract must be renewed in three years.

Although the BBC is still broadcasting the event, it will certainly remain in Britain, but there is talk of money in the corridors of power at Matchroom Sport.

Veteran sports promoter Barry Hearn, who founded the Essex-based organization in 1982, does not want to move the event away from Sheffield.

He has close ties there given his management of six-time world champion Steve Davis and the success of the product this century.

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Yet in recent years he has told the city council that he wants to see more investments in infrastructure and behind the scenes.

His son Eddie now runs the company and is not as involved in the day-to-day running of snooker. He is more hands-on with boxing.

So who knows? Perhaps one day during the World Snooker Tour, officials in Yushan will make a compelling argument that the sport’s flagship event could be held in their city in April and May. The building and facilities are all there.

That would have been an unthinkable prospect last year when 10 Chinese players were banned from the sport, two for life, for match-fixing offenses and corruption allegations.

But almost a year later, with the cheaters thrown out, a new breed of Chinese players is emerging.

And it only takes one of them, perhaps someone like Zhang Anda or Si Jiahui, to make that breakthrough at the highest level and the case for taking the Long Road to China becomes stronger.

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RONNIE O’SULLIVAN is arguably the best snooker player to ever play the sport.

The star has overcome numerous battles on his way to the top, including dealing with his father’s prison sentence, a struggle with mental health and drug addiction.

What is Ronnie O’Sullivan’s background?

Ronnie O’Sullivan was born on December 5, 1975 in Wordsley.

His parents are Ronnie Snr, the former owner of a string of sex shops in Soho, London, and Maria, born in Sicily, Italy.

Ronnie Jnr has a younger sister named Danielle.

Ronnie was born in the West Midlands and the family later moved to Essex.

He became interested in snooker at an early age and made his breakthrough in the first century at the remarkable age of 10.

O’Sullivan became British Under-16 Champion at the age of 13.

He turned pro at the age of 16 and has gone on to become one of the greatest players of all time.

Ronnie has been open about his struggles with mental health and addiction.

He once stated that he had “lost seven years drinking and using cannabis” – and another four years in the aftermath.

The sportsman says running is his solace.

What has Ronnie O’Sullivan said about his father?

Ronnie’s father, Ronnie O’Sullivan Snr, was jailed in 1992 for the murder of Bruce Bryan, Charlie Kray’s driver, during a fight in a Chelsea nightclub.

Charlie was the brother of infamous gangsters Ronnie and Reggie Kray.

Ronnie has spoken about his father in the past, saying: “He was a very generous person and some people took that kindness as weakness and played on it.”

On playing snooker to keep his father happy, he said: “The loyalty I felt towards my father…I would do anything he asked.

“My dad always said it was like visiting him when he saw me on TV. I thought, ‘Damn, that must be the most important thing, it keeps him going.’

“So I knew I couldn’t give up, even though I hated it. I couldn’t take that away from my dad.”

The 2023 Amazon Prime film, titled Ronnie O’Sullivan: The Edge of Everything, further explored his father’s time in prison.

In the documentary, Ronnie Jr. emotional as he remembers what his father said when he was sentenced.

Heels the cameras: “My father was taken away, he was convicted, he just looked up at the woman and [gets emotional and wipes away tears] You get a little emotional sometimes, don’t you.”

“He just said, ‘Tell my boy to win.’

“Typical. ‘Just tell my boy to win.’

“That was it. Damn 30 years ago.

“Part of me was like, ‘F*** you and f*** this, f*** everyone.’

“The healthiest thing I could do was probably to stop playing snooker. But I didn’t, I just felt compelled to continue.”

In a 2022 Eurosport documentary, Ronnie Jr. revealed also how much impact his father had on his career in the early years.

What is Ronnie O’Sullivan’s professional record?

Ronnie has won seven Masters, seven World Championships and seven British Championships throughout his career.

In 2019, he became the first and only player to get 1,000 career breaks.

O’Sullivan has won a record 21 Triple Crown titles during his illustrious career.

His seventh World Snooker Championship victory over Judd Trump in May 2022 saw him tie with Stephen Hendry for the most tournament wins in the modern era.

What were his most controversial moments?

Ronnie has had some controversial moments in his career.

In 1996 he allegedly headbutted Michael Ganley, then assistant press officer, and was fined £20,000 and given a two-year suspended ban.

At the same tournament, Ronnie was criticized for his “showboating” after playing left-handed.

In 1998, Ronnie was stripped of his Irish Masters title after cannabis entered his system.

In 2006, he forfeited his quarter-final match against Stephen Hendry after abruptly abandoning the match and leaving the arena during the sixth frame, leading to a £20,800 fine.

Then at the 2016 Welsh Open, O’Sullivan turned down the chance to make a maximum break, describing the £10,000 prize money on offer as “too cheap”.

When did Ronnie O’Sullivan get an OBE?

Ronnie received an OBE at the New Year’s Awards in 2015.

He was given the honor for the role he has played in the snooker world.

O’Sullivan received his award from King Charles in May the following year, with partner Laila Rouass at his side.

The milestone moment comes two years after Ronnie said it would be “a shame” for him if he were to receive an honor due to his controversial past.

How many novels has Ronnie O’Sullivan written?

O’Sullivan has written three novels in total.

The books are called Framed, The Break and Double Kiss.

Ronnie has also written three autobiographies titled Running, Ronnie and Unbreakable, plus a cookbook called Top of Your Game: Eating for Mind and Body.

What is Ronnie O’Sullivan’s net worth?

O’Sullivan’s net worth is estimated at around £14 million.

Since starting his professional career in 1992, Ronnie has won more than £10 million in prize money.

The Rocket has had an incredible 2023-2024 season, his best ever season in terms of prize money.

He has already won FIVE tournaments this season and is going to the World Cup in top form.

Winning the Shanghai Masters, UK Championship, Masters and World Grand Prix – as well as the World Masters of Snooker in Saudi Arabia – has earned him more than £1.1 million so far this season.

The Saudi victory earned him £250,000, although he failed to pocket the £400,000 golden ball.

O’Sullivan has also confirmed he will play two more tournaments before heading to the Crucible.

He will play at the World Open in China from March 18 and then the Tour Championship in Manchester on April 1.

Is Ronnie O’Sullivan married?

O’Sullivan has three children: two daughters and a son.

He is the father of Taylor-Ann Magnus (born 1996) from a two-year relationship with Sally Magnus, and Lily – born 2006 – and Ronnie Jr – born 2007 – from his relationship with Jo Langley.

Ronnie is in a long-term relationship with Footballers’ Wives star Laila Rouass.

The couple, who got engaged in 2013, split in 2022 after nearly a decade together but reunited shortly after.

RONNIE O’SULLIVAN has collected more than £1million in prize money this season after winning the inaugural World Masters of Snooker in Saudi Arabia.

The Rocket shone with two centuries as he defeated reigning world champion Luca Brecel 5-2 in the final, before next year’s controversial Gold Ball prize was DOUBLED TO $1 million.

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It represents his 79th professional title and for his efforts he received a check for £250,000 from Saudi paymasters.

This money goes along with the two separate £250,000 checks he received for winning the UK Championship and the Masters – plus £210,000 for lifting the Shanghai Masters at the start of the 2023-2024 season.

No one has made more money in a single snooker season, but to be honest, few players have ever played the sport as brilliantly as O’Sullivan.

The world number 1 was in great form as he defeated John Higgins 4-0 in the quarter-finals at 3am local time on Wednesday morning.

In the semi-finals he won 4-1 against Judd Trump before showing the Belgian Bullet why he is the best there is.

The 20-point Gold Ball gimmick, which offered an astonishing £400,000 bonus prize, never came into play during the three days in the Middle East as no one put together a 147.

But straight after the final, Saudi advisor Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Authority for Entertainment, took to the microphone to announce the special prize for reaching 167, which could reach $1 million – £800,000 by 2025.

O’Sullivan immediately joked: “I’ll make it [the golden ball] next year – you don’t want to get it all at once.

“I thought I would win the tournament this year and get the golden ball next year.”

The Rocket added: “It was a fantastic tournament, a beautiful venue.

“The crowd was great. It’s been a long time since we came to the Middle East.

“We have been treated so fantastically well. The players enjoyed it. The hospitality was fantastic. The culture here is fantastic.

“These are the tournaments you really want to play in. One table, a great audience. The music played between frames.

“It was like we were in some kind of rave. Like going back 25 years when I was young. It made it lively. It feels like a really fun festival. Everyone wants to go to Saudi Arabia.”

Brecel, 28, said: “I have enjoyed the last few days. The location is great. The audience was fantastic.

“Since I arrived in Saudi Arabia, I had the feeling that the people were very nice. I’m grateful to be able to play here. Hopefully it will be here for a long time.”

“The music was going between frames, it was like we were in some kind of rave – 25 years ago when I was young,” O’Sullivan said on Eurosport.

“It feels like a really fun festival.”

There was no Gold Ball finish for Ronnie O’Sullivan, but he did bring a Golden Touch to his first appearance in Saudi Arabia.

But it was a teary-eyed performance as the Rocket eventually won his quarter-final against John Higgins at 3am local time!

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If anyone can muster a 147 and then attempt to sink the controversial 20-point Golden Ball – which is unique to this event and is on the cusp – it is the seven-time world snooker champion.

But even with his freakish talent and magical action, the world number 1 was unable to achieve maximum breakthrough in the Middle East and then go for glory with an inaugural 167.

Nevertheless, he still showed the locals why he’s the best there ever was with fast breaks of 135, 129, 102 and 82 in this 4-0 whitewash.

Two of the three previous quarter-finals on Tuesday had gone the distance to a seventh-frame decider and this meant the final clash between the Class of 92 graduates did not start until 1.45am in Riyadh.

Higgins, 48, had gotten up after 3 a.m. the night before when he knocked out Welshman Mark Williams in the first round of the 12-man invitational competition.

It would be a real test of the Scot’s stamina and concentration and he struggled with the early morning action.

Higgins didn’t pot a single ball across the four frames – the four points against his name in frame three came via an O’Sullivan foul shot.

Considering the time on the clock, the ruthless O’Sullivan, 48, was in no mood to hang around as he set up a semi-final battle with Judd Trump.

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Unsurprisingly, there were a lot of people in the arena for Crucible King O’Sullivan’s performance – a contrast to the rows and rows of empty seats for Monday’s preliminaries.

Ahead of his last eight draw, O’Sullivan spoke about the Golden Ball, which carries a mega £400,000 bonus if it is correctly pocketed after a 147.

He laughed, “I’ve had a few 167s, but they drive my car. I don’t know if I can get a 167 on the table. But listen, it’s possible.

“If you get it, there is a nice prize. There is an important incentive in that.

“If the opportunity presents itself, you should of course try it.

“We all want to win the tournament. But if you get the chance for the 167… I mean getting a 147 is a big ask. Getting the Golden Ball off the barrier cushion is an even bigger ask.

“When the opportunity presents itself, you have to take it.”

When the tournament was announced in January, human rights activists called on top stars to use their voices to speak out about the atrocities they say are being perpetuated every day by the Saudi regime.

But O’Sullivan, who wore a traditional headdress when he arrived in the Kingdom, added: “I love it here, I love the Middle East, I love the culture.

“It’s always great to come to places where you feel like you can relax and enjoy your time.

“The fans are buzzing. They watch you on TV, see you in real life, it’s great for them. When you go to the clubs, it’s buzzing.

“I think the players are all buzzing. We play a lot of tournaments. It’s fun to play in a prestige tournament.

“This is one of them, the twelve best players in the world. Every match is like a final.

“I pick and choose the tournaments I want to play in. I choose four to five from the season and use the rest as practice to keep me sharp.

“At least give myself a chance in the other tournaments where I want to do well.”

RONNIE O’SULLIVAN is arguably the best player ever to grace a snooker table – so you don’t want to miss him in action.

The snooker legend is a SEVEN-time world champion and has many records to his name, including fastest maximum break, highest number of century breaks and most Triple Crown event titles (23).

And O’Sullivan has made a lot of profits during his illustrious career, highlighted by his estimated net worth of £14 million.

Several reports have suggested that The Rocket is planning to bring the curtain down on his golden 32-year snooker career after admitting he has fallen out of love with the demands of the game.

However, O’Sullivan himself revealed he is NOT retiring as he is enjoying one of his best seasons having previously won the Shanghai Masters, the UK Championship and the Masters.

Ronnie also leads the snooker rankings, which is another reason why he is finding it difficult to leave the sport.

But fans all want to know when the snooker legend will be in action for the first time.

When will Ronnie O’Sullivan play next and who is his opponent?

Ronnie O’Sullivan joined in THIS EVENING – Thursday February 22 in the 2024 Players Championship.

The Rocket’s exciting quarter-final was against English icon Mark Selby.

But unfortunately O’Sullivan’s long unbeaten run came to an end when he was defeated 6-0.

Which competition will Ronnie O’Sullivan take part in next?

Ronnie O’Sullivan is all set to play at the 2024 World Open, where he will face Welshman Michael White.

The snooker legend’s opening match is scheduled for Tuesday March 19 from 11:30 GMT.

And the World Open will be held at the Yushan Sports Center in China, starting on Monday, March 18 and ending on Sunday, March 24.

Where does Ronnie O’Sullivan want to retire?

Ronnie O’Sullivan revealed he plans to end his illustrious snooker career in Asia.

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The Rocket said in March 2023: “I would like to end my career in Asia. This is where snooker is more popular – such as in China, Thailand and Hong Kong.

“With Covid it was possible to come here. My sponsors would like to see me in Asia.

“If things open up more, I might play more in Asia and skip a few events in the UK. I can’t do them all.

“It’s always good to play against a local favourite, whether that’s Ken Doherty in Ireland, John Higgins in Scotland, Mark Williams in Wales, James Wattana here in Thailand or Ding Junhui in China. Those are fantastic occasions.”

Ronnie Singh is a digital marketing manager for 2K sports and a Youtuber who has his own YouTube channel as Ronnie 2K.

Early life of Ronnie Singh

Ronnie Singh entered this world November 14, 1982in the United States of America. His sun sign is Scorpio. Ronnie holds an American nationality and belongs to mixed ethnicity.

Is Ronnie Singh married?

Currently, he is not a married man. Furthermore, Ronnie has been associated with negative feedback about the 2K company. However, rumors swirled that he might be involved in a feud with another YouTuber Chris Smoove.

What is Ronnie Singh’s Net Worth and Salary?

According to some sources, he has a net worth of $100,000 – $1 million but it’s just an assumption. In view of his successful career, Ronnie earns a fortune and lives a lavish lifestyle in a luxurious manner. In addition, he even supported the USO Foundation.

Youtube Channel

In addition, his work takes him to different parts of the country. Plus, he posted a Veterans Day photo from when he and Steph Curry showed their support at the USO Foundation. Likewise, he is close to several NBA players, communities and analysts.

Likewise, he travels the NBA circuit and has met various members of the NBA community, including players and analysts. He shares these photos on his Instagram, where he has amassed more than 662,000 followers. According to her YouTube career, he became famous on YouTube and gained huge attention.

Social sites of Ronnie Singh

Ronnie is active on various social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and Twitter. Moreover, he has more than 41.9k subscribers on YouTube. Moreover, he has almost 662,000 followers on Instagram. He also has approximately 2.62 million followers on Twitter.

Career

• Initially, he started his career on social media sites. He previously launched his Twitter account June 2009 among all social media sites.
• On that day, his first tweet was: “I made my first announcement and officially launched the Ronnie 2K Twitter page!” Moreover, he always posts all the news related to the NBA 2K franchise on all social media.

Frequently asked questions about Ronnie Singh

Who is Ronnie Singh?

Ronnie Singh is a digital marketing manager for 2K sports and a Youtuber who has his own YouTube channel as Ronnie 2K.

Does Ronnie Singh have social sites?

Ronnie Singh is a Youtuber who has his own YouTube channel as Ronnie 2K.

Where was Ronnie Singh born?

Ronnie Singh entered this world on November 14, 1982 in the United States of America.