Ronnie O'Sullivan rediscovers 'swagger' in epic comeback victory against Chang Bingyu at Saudi Arabia Masters after taking game 'for granted'
Updated 14/08/2025 at 22:44 GMT+1
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Kyren Wilson awaits Ronnie O'Sullivan in the quarter-finals of the Saudi Arabia Masters after the seven-time world champion produced an epic comeback to beat Chang Bingyu in Jeddah. O'Sullivan spoke candidly to TNT Sports after the match and admitted he has taken the game for granted in recent years. He was excited to rediscover his "swagger" in his 6-5 victory.
O'Sullivan 'took game for granted' but refound 'spells' in Chang comeback
Video credit: TNT Sports
Ronnie O’Sullivan says he found his "swagger" again as he completed a stunning comeback to beat Chang Bingyu and reach the quarter-finals of the Saudi Arabia Masters.
Chang raced into a 4-1 lead and looked set to dump The Rocket out of the competition, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
O’Sullivan then fought his way back into contention before winning four frames on the spin to take a 6-5 victory.
The seven-time world champion completed the job with a clearance of 125 in the deciding frame.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, O’Sullivan described how he rediscovered his joy of snooker during the win.
"I don’t feel like I battled there, I just felt like I was flowing, going through my shots," he said.
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O'Sullivan completes big comeback with century in decider
Video credit: TNT Sports
"The year I won five tournaments a couple of years ago, I battled every day and every match, that was horrendous.
"But I didn’t feel like I was battling out there, I was quite enjoying it. I just enjoyed the way I feel, for a change, it’s been a while."
O’Sullivan missed a flurry of tournaments earlier this year, including the Welsh Open, the Masters and the World Open to prioritise his health and wellbeing.
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After sealing his place in the last eight in Jeddah, O’Sullivan opened up about the challenges he has faced in recent years.
"I took this game for granted, I realise that now," he admitted. "I’ve struggled and you lose your confidence, you lose your swagger.
"That’s something you can’t fake. I had it for such a long time without even realising it.
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Video credit: TNT Sports
"Tonight, I got it back again but in spells. I thought, ‘I used to feel like that a lot’ and when you’ve got that, that’s what made me win so much. I just don’t have enough of it now, but in spells it’s there.
"I wish I could turn the clock back and appreciate it a bit more, but it kind of explains a lot of it. I still enjoy playing. I feel like there’s no pressure on me, really.
"When you feel like you’re feeling okay but you’re still making some silly errors, there’s nothing you can do about that. It’s just age, I suppose, and just mother time catching up on you."
O’Sullivan will face Kyren Wilson next, after he got past Si Jiahui in a 6-3 victory.
Watch and stream top snooker action live and on demand on TNT Sports and discovery+
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