Ronnie O’Sullivan still ‘not feeling great’ despite making snooker history with 153 break

Ronnie O’Sullivan insisted he still ‘doesn’t feel great’ over his shots despite making history with the highest break ever in professional snooker.

The 50-year-old achieved the stunning feat en route to a dominant 5-0 win over Ryan Day in the quarter-finals of the World Open.

After Day failed to escape a snooker in the opening frame of their match, O’Sullivan was given a free ball, allowing him to start with a green followed by an opening black.

Eight points up before attacking the reds, the Rocket reeled off the 15 reds, accompanied by 13 further blacks and two pinks, before cleaning up all of the colours to end on the 153.

The Englishman ended just two points shy of the highest possible run of 155, but did exceed the previous highest break: a 148 made by Jamie Burnett in the 2004 UK Championship qualifying.

‘It was a great buzz,’ O’Sullivan later said, reflecting on his achievement. ‘I could have tried to get the other black, but I just thought I don’t think anyone’s ever made a break above 147 on TV, so I thought it would be the first.

‘I’ve been the first in many things so I thought I might as well get that one as well. It’s great and I feel blessed to be able to achieve these things. I’m sure long past when I’m not here there’ll still be people going, ‘oh that was pretty cool what that guy done’.’

Despite the record-breaking achievement, O’Sullivan, who has missed several big events this year, admitted there is still plenty of unpredictability surrounding his game.

‘I don’t feel great over any shot to be honest here I’m just trying to find a new method which allows me to get the cue through,’ he added.

‘On some shots I don’t really know where the ball was going and there are some shots I just can’t play anymore because I’ve had to change my method and I just can’t get to the hitting point of the shot, but I have to accept that I’d rather have what I’ve got now than what I had before.

‘What I had before, I couldn’t play so at least here I feel I can get through the ball I can make some breaks, I can get the white moving about, but there are certain shots I just don’t have in my locker.

‘Maybe they’ll come at some point but at the moment I’m just grateful to have what I’ve got.’

O’Sullivan will play Yize Wu for a place in the final after the Chinese star defeated Mark Allen 5-1 in the quarter-finals.

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