# 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.
- Title: O'Sullivan loses to Cheung in NI Open return · BBC Sport
- Summary: 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…
- Keywords: ronnie o'sullivan, ka wai cheung, northern ireland open, snooker, waterfront hall, belfast, sports, O'Sullivan, loses, Cheung, Open, return
- Source: BBC Sport — https://bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/articles/cm87ze97eq2wo
- Published: 2026-10-19T17:34:44.294+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: ronnie o'sullivan, ka wai cheung, northern ireland open, snooker, waterfront hall, belfast, sports
## 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.
## Key takeaway

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.