Ronnie O'Sullivan reveals where he wants to end career after reaching last 16 at Six Red World Snooker Championship

ByEurosport

Updated 08/03/2023 at 16:23 GMT

Ronnie O'Sullivan has revealed he would like to finish his playing career in Asia after reaching the last 16 of the Six Red World Championship in Bangkok with a 5-2 victory over Stan Moody on Wednesday. He also praised former world No. 3 James Wattana for his "massive" contribution to the growth of the sport in Thailand. Stream the Six Red World Championship live and on-demand on discovery+.

O'Sullivan makes dreamy total clearance at Six Red World Championship

Ronnie O'Sullivan booked his spot in the last 16 of the Six Red World Championship with a 5-2 victory over Stan Moody in Thailand after admitting he wants to end his golden career in Asia.

The seven-time world champion joined old rival James Wattana in the knockout stage of the elite invitational event with a dominant win against the world junior champion Moody on Wednesday.

With Thai icon Wattana edging out Jimmy Robertson 5-4 in the other Group H match, it meant the leading duo could not be caught by Robertson or Moody before they met to settle the winner of the section.

Six-Red World Championship

'That's what it means to him' - Ding beats Thepchaiya to win Six Red World Championship

00:02:37

26/03/2023 at 08:44

It was O'Sullivan who emerged victorious to secure maximum points from his three matches in a 5-2 win over Wattana that included the highest break of the group with a 71 in frame four at the Thammasat University Convention Centre in Pathum Thani.

Matthew Selt, already eliminated from the event in a Group E won by Chris Wakelin, later set the new tournament highest break courtesy of a run of 80 in the final frame of a 5-3 win over Dechawat Poomjaeng that began with a free ball.

There were glorious scenes of sportsmanship at the end of the day as O'Sullivan and Wattana warmly embraced following a match-clinching O'Sullivan fluke, much to the delight of the vast crowd.

Bowing out in style, Robertson matched that 71 haul in the fifth frame of his 5-2 win over Moody, a dead rubber to see who finished third.

'Surely not… look at those scenes!' – O’Sullivan beats Wattana with bizarre fluke

O'Sullivan, who also made a rapid knock of 69 in just under four minutes in the sixth frame against Moody, is making his debut at the shortened version of the sport in Bangkok, but has plenty of happy memories of playing in Thailand.

He lost 9-6 to Wattana in the final of the 1995 Thailand Open, but claimed his third ranking title of a record 39 with a 9-8 win over fellow Englishman Brian Morgan in the Asia Classic final a year later.

“The six reds is scary, the frames are over so quick," he told reporters. "One mistake and it is game over. You get someone in a snooker with the reds open and they are bang in trouble if they don’t get it right.

“I wanted to experience it and I am very glad I came. I plan my year well in advance, there can be priorities, and everyone has the chance to invite me to their tournaments.

“I can’t go to them all, but I am happy to be here this year. I’d like to finish my career off in Asia, snooker is more popular here than anywhere, Thailand and China, Hong Kong.

“In Covid it was impossible but my sponsors like to see me in Asia – they are the No. 1 events they want me to play in. So in the future I may skip events in the UK to play the majority here."

O'Sullivan also praised three-time ranking event winner Wattana for raising the profile of snooker in his home country.

"I played James out here in his peak," he said on WST. "I played him in a match and we had to stop for the adverts and he was on every advert, Nescafe, Thai Airways, and I was sitting there thinking this geezer is unbelievable.

"I've never ever hung out with anyone so famous. When he was in his prime, he couldn't go anywhere and needed a security police escort to go everywhere.

"He's been massive for Thai snooker. Thailand snooker is very strong. They've got some fantastic players and that is because of James and what he has done in the game."

The top two from each group progress to the last-16 knockout stage with the final contested on Saturday.

Masters champion Judd Trump advanced to the knockout stages as Group D winner after a 5-4 win over Ma Hailong and was joined by Ricky Walden, who squeezed through as runner-up courtesy of a 5-4 success against Kritsanut Lertsattayatthorn.

Former winner Mark Williams secured his spot in the last 16 with a 5-2 win over Andres Petrov as Group F runner-up behind Joe Perry.

He had earlier reignited his campaign with a 5-4 win over local favourite Sunny Akani.