O'Sullivan Advances to World Open Final with Thrilling Deciding-Frame Win

Ronnie O'Sullivan secured a spot in the World Open final after a nail-biting deciding-frame victory against Wu Yize. With the score tied at 5-5, O'Sullivan produced an impressive 89-point counter-clearance from 43-0 behind to clinch a dramatic 6-5 win. The seven-time world champion has now reached his 66th ranking final and will have the chance to claim a record-extending 42nd ranking title in the final against either Judd Trump or Thepchaiya Un-Nooh. O'Sullivan, a legendary player with numerous accolades, including 41 ranking titles and 1,320 century breaks, is set to compete in his first ranking final since winning the World Grand Prix in January 2024. "I feel more confident when I'm in the zone," O'Sullivan said, reflecting on his win. "When the score was 5-5 and my opponent missed, I saw an opportunity on the red and went for it. The ball went in, and I made an excellent clearance." O'Sullivan also praised Wu Yize, stating, "He has great cue power and a good snooker brain, but he still has a lot to learn, especially the tactical side of the game." Earlier in the tournament, O'Sullivan achieved the highest break in professional snooker, scoring 153 points after his opponent, Ryan Day, failed to escape from a snooker, giving O'Sullivan a free ball. The 50-year-old is currently ranked world No 12 and has signed up to compete in the World Seniors Championship for the first time this year.