Ronnie O’Sullivan 'hitting it so good' as he eases through at Xi’an Grand Prix, Judd Trump crashes out to Matthew Stevens
Updated 08/10/2025 at 16:57 GMT+1
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There were contrasting fortunes for the big names in the second round of the Xi’an Grand Prix, with Ronnie O’Sullivan breezing through and Judd Trump crashing out. O’Sullivan followed up a 5-0 first-round win by beating Yao Pengcheng 5-1, while Trump’s poor run of form continued with a 5-4 loss to Matthew Stevens. Watch and stream the Xi’an Grand Prix live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
‘It has gone to script’ – O’Sullivan sees off Yao to progress into next round
Video credit: TNT Sports
Ronnie O’Sullivan said he was cueing better than he has at any time in the last decade after making light work of Yao Pengcheng to breeze into the third round of the Xi’an Grand Prix.
After whitewashing Iulian Boiko on Tuesday, The Rocket was in similarly devastating form against Yao, wasting little time in completing a 5-1 victory.
It is the first time O’Sullivan has been in action since his loss to Neil Robertson in the final of August’s Saudi Arabia Masters and there appears to be little in the way of rust.
He made two centuries in his opening match in China and backed that up against Yao.
While the conditions have proved tricky for some, O’Sullivan made breaks of 63, 128 and 53 to race into a 3-1 lead at the interval.
His cue ball control deserted him slightly after the restart, but he delighted the fans in attendance with some remarkable pots en route to sealing victory and setting up a meeting with Stephen Maguire in the next round.
"I feel like I’m cueing as well as I have done since probably 2012," said O'Sullivan afterwards.
"The last time I hit the ball this well was probably that long ago. I played well in 2016, 17, 18, 19, but the last few years was pretty awful. I know I had some wins but really struggling with ball striking.
"At the moment I feel like I’m hitting the ball so pure, so clean. In practice I feel like I’m hitting it so well I kind of get a bit bored because I think what’s the point of playing, I’m just hitting it so good.
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‘What a shot’ – O’Sullivan draws gasps from crowd after showing off potting skills
Video credit: TNT Sports
"It’s a nice feeling, to have total control over what I’m doing and feel like I have a lot of confidence inside me. I’ve just got to try and convert it into a few victories but I’ll take this cueing well and maybe quarter, semi-final, if I get a win great.
"I’d much rather feel how I’m feeling now and be competing, maybe not win tournaments than feeling awful and winning tournaments.
"I was awful for three years. I couldn’t tell anyone because everyone thought I’d be banging on about it. So I had to keep it under wraps and struggle with it...I’ve had to tweak a couple things along the way, but all my shots feel like they’re coming back. I feel like I’m capable of playing any shot I need to play."
Earlier, Judd Trump’s disappointing 2025 continued with a 5-4 defeat to Matthew Stevens in the last 64.
The world No. 1 has been on a poor run of form of late and is yet to lift a title during the current calendar year.
It was hoped that his magical 147 during a 5-2 win over Ng On Yee on Tuesday was a sign that he had turned a corner, but his loss to Stevens was another in a growing list of recent setbacks.
Coming into the event, Trump expressed his desire to hang onto his place at the top of the world rankings, but it could be in jeopardy if things do not improve soon.
The 36-year-old is down in 33rd in the one-year rankings and therefore at risk of missing some big events in the second half of the season.
Trump was the heavy favourite against world No. 51 Stevens, but it was a scrappy affair from the outset as both players appeared to struggle in the heavy conditions.
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Still, at 3-1 ahead at the interval, there would have been little cause for concern for Trump in the race to five frames.
However, rather than kick on, it was Stevens who came out from the break looking the more assured.
The big breaks were few and far between, but the majority of the mistakes were flowing from the new cue of Trump.
Stevens reeled off three frames in a row to move ahead and within a frame of victory before a dramatic eighth frame proved that, while he might be some way from his fluent best, you can never count Trump out.
Trailing by 38 points with just 27 left on the table, Trump forced a foul on the blue and then the pink before clearing up to force a black-ball shoot-out, which he won to set up a deciding frame.
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‘Houdini-like comeback’ – Trump forces decider after ‘miraculous’ frame
Video credit: TNT Sports
Both players had chances in the decider, but it was Stevens who eventually and deservedly got over the line to claim a huge scalp and move into the next round.
For Trump, this tournament has been another false dawn. He has yet to reach the last eight of a ranking event since the World Championship back in April, while his last tournament win came in the UK Championship last December.
Watch and stream top snooker action, including the Xi’an Grand Prix, live and on demand on TNT Sports and discovery+
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