Ronnie O'Sullivan reveals why he turned down latest chance of record-extending 147 at Xi'an Grand Prix in winning return
Updated 08/10/2025 at 09:51 GMT+1
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Ronnie O'Sullivan will continue his quest for a first ranking title triumph since January 2024 when he faces world No. 118 Yao Pengcheng, live on TNT Sports and discovery+ at 12:30pm on Wednesday afternoon. The snooker GOAT produced two centuries in a 5-0 whitewash of misfiring Ukraine player Iulian Boiko on Tuesday, but turned down the chance to go for a record-extending 18th career maximum.
O'Sullivan with a second century in frame four of Boiko clash
Video credit: TNT Sports
Ronnie O'Sullivan has revealed why he opted out of joining snooker's remarkable 147 gold rush on the opening day of the Xi'an Grand Prix in China.
The seven-time world champion had the opportunity to become the third player, alongside world No. 1 Judd Trump and Aaron Hill, to make a maximum on Tuesday in a one-sided 5-0 win over a struggling Iulian Boiko.
After slotting five reds and five blacks in the first frame, the world No. 4 was faced with an obvious pot on a red which would have seen him land perfectly on the black, but curiously opted to go for another red to left middle to continue a break which concluded on 107.
"You would think red to right corner would be the one," said former Masters champion Alan McManus on TNT Sports.
"He would play it with his opposite hand, so maybe he just doesn't fancy bridging with it.
"So that puts paid to another maximum for now."
O'Sullivan has maintained a consistent stance on the subject over the years, telling TNT Sports his preference is to win frames rather than go for a maximum if he does not feel the financial incentives are worth it.
The Essex professional earned a huge £180,333 bonus at the Saudi Arabia Masters in August - £147,000 and a double share of the £50,000 high break prize alongside Thepchaiya Un-Nooh - for becoming the first player in history to produce two in the same match against Chris Wakelin in the semi-finals in Jeddah.
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'Like he's never been away' - Watch in full as O'Sullivan marks return to action with century
Video credit: TNT Sports
But compiling a record-extending 18th maximum as the sport's most prolific 147 man of all time at the Xi'an Grand Prix would see him collect a share of the £5,000 high break prize after Trump and Hill both achieved the feat on a remarkable opening day.
"The reason why I got mine was because there was maybe £180,000 up for grabs," O'Sullivan told reporters after adding a 112 in the fourth frame of his first match since losing 10-9 to Neil Robertson in an epic Saudi Arabia Masters final in August.
"The prize was good, it sharpened my mind.
"I’m not sure what the prize fund is for this tournament, but usually it’s quite low compared to that, so obviously I won’t take the risk unless I think it’s worth it."
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O’Sullivan memorably tried to skip a 147 against Mark King at the 2010 World Open in Glasgow, with referee Jan Verhaas having to encourage him to pot the final black.
He had already asked what the prize was for a maximum after potting just two balls in the final frame of a 3-0 win that earned him £4,000.
The 41-time ranking event winner, who also picked up £165,000 for producing the fastest maximum of all time in an astonishing five minutes and eight seconds at the 1997 World Championship, told TNT Sports: "I knew it wasn’t a big prize, but then I also knew that if I was to say there should be a bigger prize for a 147, you get people going: 'Oh, you know, you’re ungrateful, you’re this, you’re that.'
"So I just thought: 'What’s the best way to illuminate it?'
"I thought, just go for the 147 and ask the ref what the prize is. Once he tells me it’s that, I go, 'Oh, alright, I’ve made a 140, that’ll do'.
"It just makes it much more of an interesting talking point."
Meanwhile, O'Sullivan congratulated fellow 'Class of '92' John Higgins and Mark Williams after reaching 1,000 ranking event matches in his win over Boiko, at his sixth ranking event of the season.
"It's an amazing milestone," he said. "Well done to Mark and John for reaching it too. We knew each other as juniors, I have been playing Mark since we were ten.
"Now we have been pros for 33 years, we have all had really good careers and we are still going.
"I haven't played for nearly two months, so it felt a bit strange to play a serious game, I felt a bit rusty.
"My preparation on the practice table has been good, but practice and playing matches are very different."
O'Sullivan will chase a last-32 meeting with Stephen Maguire on Thursday in the chase for the £177,000 first prize when he takes on world No. 118 Yao Pengcheng in the second round on Wednesday at 12:30pm, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
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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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