Snooker news - Ronnie O’Sullivan left in stitches at UK Championship

In short Ronnie O’Sullivan was left in stitches during his match against Noppon Saengkham at the UK Championship in York.

Noppon trailed by a frame as O’Sullivan missed a rudimentary red while leading 34-6 in frame four, thus allowing the 27-year-old the opportunity to level the match ahead of the mid-session interval.

Yet, with two reds marooned on the side cushion, a frame-winning break looked unlikely. However, the Thai player rejected to play safe to line up a difficult-looking plant that he would see come back off the jaw of the pocket.

What happened next - the ball coming off the cushion with a healthy portion of side to nestle in the pocket - left the world number 34 puffing out his cheeks as O’Sullivan initially looked to be fuming before breaking out into a broad smile and then bursting into laughter.

“Where’s this red? It is still going towards the pocket. Wow. How significant will that be?

“That was very fortunate…there is a smile on O’Sullivan’s face. Well, half a smile.

“You can’t help but watch the other matches in such an open-plan environment.”

“Flukes are all part of the game, but he was king of the fluker out there today. I want to buy them flukes off of him.”

Nope, he missed the very next red. O’Sullivan would come out of the ensuing safety exchange – even if though Noppon lucked out again then – to win the frame and then eventually the match 5-2 to set up a last-16 showdown with Ding Junhui.