From BBC Sport · · 1m 30s
O'Sullivan loses to Cheung in NI Open return
Ronnie O'Sullivan exits the Northern Ireland Open in the first round after losing 4-3 to world-ranked 110 player Ka Wai Cheung in Belfast.
In brief
Ronnie O'Sullivan exits the Northern Ireland Open in the first round after losing 4-3 to world-ranked 110 player Ka Wai Cheung in Belfast. Ronnie O'Sullivan lost 4-3 to Ka Wai Cheung in the first round of the Northern Ireland Open, extending a run of top-16 upsets at the tournament. Originally reported by BBC Sport.
O'Sullivan knocked out in first round
Ronnie O'Sullivan lost 4-3 to world-ranked 110 player Ka Wai Cheung at the Northern Ireland Open in Belfast. The 50-year-old won three frames in a row before Cheung claimed the final three frames to advance.
Cheung's first ranking event win
For Ka Wai Cheung, the victory was his first win in a main-draw knockout match at a ranking event. The Hong Kong qualifier will now face Stuart Bingham for a spot in the last sixteen.
Top seeds continue to fall
O'Sullivan became the eighth top-16 player to lose of the nine who had played at Waterfront Hall so far. Judd Trump later lost 4-3 to Martin O'Donnell, with O'Donnell prevailing in the deciding frame.
O'Sullivan's return after long absence
O'Sullivan had not played at a tournament in the United Kingdom since April's World Championship and was making his first NI Open appearance since 2022.
Cheung reflects on beating the legend
After the match, Cheung told BBC Sport NI: "To play the legend of the game and to win, this is very satisfying for me."
“To play the legend of the game and to win, this is very satisfying for me.”
Here's the gist
Ronnie O'Sullivan lost 4-3 to Ka Wai Cheung in the first round of the Northern Ireland Open, extending a run of top-16 upsets at the tournament.
