Ronnie O'Sullivan set to miss English Open after hitting three straight centuries in Shanghai Masters defeat to Kyren Wilson
Updated 29/07/2026 at 17:01 GMT+1
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Ronnie O'Sullivan is set to miss the English Open for the second straight year, with his opening opponent Liam Davies handed a bye to the next round of the Home Nations event at Brentwood Leisure Centre.
'That was unlucky!' - O'Sullivan accidentally pots pink to end promising break
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O'Sullivan also opted to withdraw from his home tournament a year ago, and will not be lining up in front of the Essex fans this time, with the competition live on TNT Sports and HBO Max between September 7-13.
The last time The Rocket played the English Open in 2024 he was beaten in the first round by He Guoqiang.
With O'Sullivan out, Welsh hopeful Davies, the world No. 99, will take on the winner of the match between Thepchaiya Un-Nooh and Wang Xinbo in the round of 32.
The English Open moved to Brentwood for the first time in 2022, with Mark Selby, Judd Trump, Neil Robertson and Mark Allen lifting the Steve Davis Trophy to illustrate the pedigree of the tournament.
Allen is the defending champion this year after edging out Zhou Yuelong 9-8 in a memorable title match.
O'Sullivan looked to be in excellent scoring form after he reeled off three straight centuries in a narrow 6-4 defeat to Kyren Wilson in the last 16 of the Shanghai Masters, his first major competitive action of the new campaign on Wednesday.
He is due to return to action at the China Open when he faces Jackson Page in the first round on Sunday, August 9 at 12:30pm.
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'Well done, Kyren' - Wilson calls foul after touching red with hand
Video credit: TNT Sports
The seven-time Crucible winner claimed his solitary English Open with a 9-2 win over Wilson in Barnsley in 2017, but has preferred to focus on events outside the UK in recent times.
He appeared only twice on home soil last season, at the UK Championship in York, where he lost 6-4 to Zhou Yuelong in the last 32, and in the World Championship at the Crucible in Sheffield, with a 13-12 defeat to John Higgins in a classic match in the second round.
He also finished runner-up twice in major finals, 10-9 to Robertson at the Saudi Arabia Masters and 10-7 to Un-Nooh at the World Open in Yushan.
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O'Sullivan has again stated his desire to win a record eighth world title in Sheffield, but TNT Sports expert Alan McManus feels he must play more in the months ahead.
"I’ve said it before, this game, not just his, but it has to be a lifestyle choice," said the 1994 Masters winner after O'Sullivan's 13-12 defeat to John Higgins in the second round in April.
"You can pick and choose your moments to go away and have two or three or four months off in the summer.
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'He has the juice to win this thing' - McManus urges O'Sullivan to put in the work
Video credit: TNT Sports
"But when you get down to the bones of it, that is the way that it is. It’s a lifestyle choice, and it is Ronnie’s choice and that is fine.
"But, if he wants to win this thing again and I think we all know he does, maybe he could change one or two things going forward next year. I hope he does."
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