Former world champion Ken Doherty fears Ronnie O’Sullivan’s cue gamble was always likely to backfire after Zhao Xintong romped into a 12-4 lead in a one-sided semi-final.
The Rocket’s tip and ferrule have been unexpected talking points at this year’s tournament with the 49-year-old rarely looking settled or anywhere near his assured best over the course of the last fortnight.
O’Sullivan made a significant change to his cue overnight, reverting to a brass ferruel, having labelled it as ‘awful’ ahead of the last-four clash with Zhao.
The seven-time champion would have been hoping to have capitalised on escaping from the first session level at 4-4, but instead spent most of Friday morning slumped in his chair as the young pretender went about his business with ruthless efficiency.
His opponent now needs just five more frames to book his place in the final against either Judd Trump or Mark Williams after inflicting only the fourth session whitewash of his career on a shellshocked O’Sullivan.
Zhao made breaks of 57 (twice), 112 and 82 to establish an 8-4 lead, with O’Sullivan scoring just 50 points in those four frames and recording a highest break of 23.
There was no respite for O’Sullivan after the mid-session interval as Zhao made breaks of 67 and 115 to extend his lead, with O’Sullivan then missing a yellow off the spot in the next frame to allow his opponent back to the table.
Zhao needed two opportunities to take the frame and also took the last of the session with a break of 87 after O’Sullivan had inexplicably missed a simple blue to the middle pocket.
Former UK Championship winner John Virgo, commentating for the BBC, was full of praise for Zhao’s performance.
‘Scintillating snooker,’ Virgo said. ‘What a player. What a future he’s got in the game.
‘To do this to Ronnie O’Sullivan, it’s a phenomenal performance. Changing of the guard maybe, right here, right now.’
Doherty, however, felt O’Sullivan’s decision to make such a key change to his cue at a vital stage in the competition was always an accident waiting to happen.
He said: ‘Ronnie O’Sullivan definitely has a problem with the cue. He’s had it a week and just decided to change the tip and the ferrule, but probably should have just stuck with it for this match.
‘It hasn’t worked. He’s given Zhao Xintong chances and the young boy has duly taken them.
‘It was a fascinating eight frames, but not fascinating for fans of Ronnie.’