Ronnie O'Sullivan 'not match sharp' but do bigger fears surround rival Judd Trump at the UK Championship? - 'What has happened to him?'
By Marcus Foley
Updated 29/11/2025 at 18:14 GMT
React to this story
Pure weight of talent dictates that neither Ronnie O’Sullivan nor Judd Trump can be written off as contenders for the UK Championship. However, O’Sullivan and Trump entered the 49th edition of the event at the York Barbican in far from their best shape, with concerns over the form of both. TNT Sports experts Reanne Evans and Jimmy White assess the scene.
'I don't think he is match sharp' - White says O'Sullivan needs to play more before UK Championship
Video credit: TNT Sports
Judd Trump and Ronnie O’Sullivan are snooker’s standard-bearers. Yet, they began the 49th running of the UK Championship at the York Barbican out of sorts.
Trump is the world No. 1 and reigning UK champion but has run into problems with his cue and has not won a title since holding off a Barry Hawkins fightback to claim a 10-8 success at last year's event.
O'Sullivan, meanwhile, suffered a humbling 17-7 defeat at the hands of Zhao Xintong in the semi-finals of the World Championship to end a tumultuous 2024/25 season and last won a title at the 2024 Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker.
The seven-time world champion has tapered down his tournament appearances this season as he targets an eighth Crucible crown, and while The Rocket has shown flashes of brilliance, Jimmy White feels this has left him undercooked.
"He proved in Saudi Arabia – where he produced two 147s – that his game is still intact," said 1992 UK Championship winner White.
"He put in a lot of work in the summer but, for me, he hasn’t played in enough of the tournaments. I don’t think he is match sharp.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2025/11/24/image-05e6be24-6306-4b4d-9e2f-cd3a827597c2-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
'I caused a lot of damage' - O'Sullivan on regrets, 'vulnerable' times
Video credit: TNT Sports
"You look at the likes of Mark Allen, Mark Selby, Shaun Murphy, Wu Yize, Judd Trump, these are all serious professionals. I am not saying that Ronnie is not a serious professional, and you can’t write him off, but he is not match sharp."
O’Sullivan's table rust was evident in his last outing on the baize - a 4-0 loss to Shaun Murphy at the 2025 Riyadh Season Championship.
"Murphy played well," said 12-time world women's champion Reanne Evans.
"His long game kept Ronnie at bay a little bit, but Ronnie was missing balls that he should not really miss.
"It is just having that concentration and that sharpness at key moments to make the most of those chances. We all know he has the capabilities to win anything on any day."
- How China's snooker revolution was built by Ding on England's green baize
- UK Championship: Latest scores, results, order of play, prize money as Trump defends title
Meanwhile, Trump remains world No. 1 despite his fallow 12 months. White says he has too much quality to be written off, and questioned the source of the drop-off.
"He hasn’t won since winning the UK last year, but he is so good, we think, what has happened to him?" said White ahead of Trump's match with Stephen Maguire.
"He lost narrowly to Jack Lisowski in Belfast, he has been there or thereabouts but had a good hiding off Wu Yize – he was 4-0 up and lost 6-4.
"He has been through the mill a bit. No one tries harder and he is honest in his interviews about the cue. He is not sure whether he is happy or unhappy with it, but I am sure once he wins a tournament with it, he will be happy.
"You never write Trump off; he is too good!"
It was a point Reanne Evans agreed with, saying: "It is just a matter of time before he is lifting a trophy again."
Trump seemed unconcerned by his form after his first-round win over Stephen Maguire.
"I feel good," said Trump after his win. "There is no reason why I can’t win it. I have not been far away. The last three or four tournaments I have lost to the winner every time. It is not like I have been getting chucked out first round 6-0.
"People are comparing it to the last five or six years and it is difficult to live up to but I have not been far away at all. If you drop 1%, people will always have something to talk about."
Watch and stream the 2025/26 snooker season, including the UK Championship, live on TNT Sports and discovery+
Related Topics
Advertisement
Advertisement