RONNIE O’SULLIVAN appeared to let slip an X-rated word as he suffered a shock defeat.
The Rocket led Xiao Guodong 3-0 in the quarter-final of the Champion of Champions, yet managed to lose 4-3.
Ronnie O’Sullivan cut a frustrated figure after one shot
He slumped into his chair once he knew defeat was inevitable
The Rocket threw away a 3-0 lead to lose 4-3
Xiao is in the form of his career after winning the Wuhan Open last month – the first ranking tournament he has won.
But it took O’Sullivan suffering one of his biggest collapses in recent memory for the Xiao to win.
O’Sullivan, 48, was in his free-flowing best as he raced into a 3-0 lead – thanks to breaks of 95 and 125 – on day four of the Champion of Champions.
But then Chinese world No18 won the next three frames with breaks of 130, 88 and 85 as the seven-time world champion could only rack in seven points.
In a nervy final-frame decider, Guodong missed a red to the middle pocket, which was essentially match ball.
That meant O’Sullivan was left in a rare position of needing snookers to win.
He potted the yellow and had the perfect opportunity to play the cue ball in behind the pink, but left the green open.
The seven-time world champion fumed at himself over the shot and after making his way back to his seat he appeared to say “s***e”.
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Inside Ronnie’s colourful career
FROM his lightning breaks to blasts at officials, Ronnie O’Sullivan has fired snooker into the spotlight.
The seven-time world champion makes almost as big an impact away from the table as on it.
O’Sullivan has three children – two daughters and a son.
And the Rocket’s on-off relationship with British actress Laila Rouass has also hit the headlines.
He has opened up on battles with his weight and addiction.
While the controversial cueist reckons he wasted NINE YEARS of his career by partying too hard.
Despite being worth £14million, O’Sullivan is renowned for his love of canal boats and snubbing flashy cars.
His rivalry with fellow star Judd Trump has been branded ‘snooker’s greatest feud’.
And Ali Carter had his nose knocked out of joint by the Rocket in their infamous ‘Snotgate’ row.
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He still had a chance to win but the positions of the balls meant he was unable to produce a snooker, and he conceded the match a few shots later.
O’Sullivan is a four-time winner of this tournament but it means he will head to the UK Championship – where he is the defending champion – in poor form.
He was knocked out in the Round of 32 of the International Championship this month and the Round of 64 of the English Open prior to that.
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