Ronnie O’Sullivan admitted he was ‘ropy’ in UK Championship defeat to Zhou Yuelong on Tuesday, feeling a change of tip did not help his cause.
The Rocket was beaten 6-4 by the 27-year-old, with Zhou scoring a first win over the seven-time world champion at the eighth time of asking.
There was some really good stuff in there from the 49-year-old, who made breaks of 71, 123, 62, 94, 65 and 56.
However, he made some surprising errors and admitted Zhou deserved to beat him.
‘Obviously he played better,’ the Rocket told the BBC. ‘I didn’t really give him much of a fight. A lot of bad mistakes really, basic ones. He deserved his victory.
‘Defeat’s defeat innit? You’ve got to just accept it as part and parcel of being a professional sportsman.’
Speaking in a post-match press conference, O’Sullivan said he was not feeling entirely comfortable with the tip he was using at the Barbican.
A recent switch to harder tips has proved a bit hit-and-miss and he now intends to return to one with ‘a little bit more give.’
‘I’m enjoying playing. Since the start of the season I’ve enjoyed playing,’ he said.
‘That was a bit of a ropy performance. I have to admit that, I’m not going to shy away from that.
‘I’ve started using harder tips. The one I played in Saudi, the first one, was great and China felt good. I’m not making excuses, I never make excuses, that’s just not me. But I think all the players are trying different tups. I’ve gone to a harder one. Maybe my touch and feel is not as good, I don’t know.
‘Maybe I need to go back to something that has a little bit more give.’
O’Sullivan is not despondent about his game, though, saying: ‘I feel like I’m hitting the ball alright. That’s the most important thing.’
Outside of a run to the Saudi Arabia Masters final, it has been a quiet season so far for the Rocket and it is not clear when we will see him back on the table.
Earlier this campaign he suggested he would not play at the Masters in January and he was non-committal about his attendance at Alexandra Palace after defeat at the Barbican.
He told the BBC on whether he will play in London: ‘I’ll have a nice Christmas, enjoy that and see how I feel come January.’
Asked the same question in a press conference, he said: ‘Hopefully. I’d like to. We’ll see.’
Zhou moves on to the last 16 where he will take on Mark Selby for a place in the quarter-finals after the Jester from Leicester downed Lei Peifan 6-2 on Tuesday afternoon.
On a first win over O’Sullivan, Zhou said: ‘I think for my career it’s one big win!
‘Before I lost many times to Ronnie, every time I played Ronnie I was so nervous. When I was a child I was watching Ronnie all the time on the TV.
‘I have so much respect for Ronnie, he’s a great snooker player and also he’s won the UK Championship eight times. He’s King in the Barbican! I’m so proud of myself.’