Ronnie O'Sullivan stuns UK Championship crowd with wonder pot - 'That’s a Barnes Wallis shot!'

Updated 01/12/2023 at 20:18 GMT

Ronnie O'Sullivan added another stunning shot to his impressive showreel in his UK Championship quarter-final victory over Zhou Yuelong on Friday. From a tough position, The Rocket somehow managed to cut the brown into the pocket as the cue ball bounced down the table, leaving the Barbican Crowd in York stunned. David Hendon on Eurosport commentary described it as a "Barnes Wallis" shot.

‘That’s a Barnes Wallis shot!’ - O’Sullivan thrills crowd with extraordinary pot

Ronnie O’Sullivan may not have produced a vintage display in his UK Championship win over Zhou Yuelong but he still treated the fans in York to some special moments, including an extraordinary shot on the brown that had the Eurosport commentators gasping.

Leading 3-0 in the quarter-final match, The Rocket was left in a tricky position to pot the brown after running the cue ball too close, but he wasn't fazed and - in typical manner - left the Barbican Crowd stunned when he somehow cut it into the pocket as the white bounced down the table to set him up for the next shot.

“Good grief,” exclaimed David Hendon.

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“Wow. That was like thin cut, steeplechase, bit of check side, and then kill the cue ball stone dead,” added a stunned McManus.

"I don’t even know what was going on with that one. Of course, he didn’t exactly play it like that - but what a result.”

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Hendon continued: “That’s a Barnes Wallis shot, wasn’t it, the way that cue ball was bouncing.”

Wallis invented the bouncing bomb used in the 'Dambusters' raid during World War II.

Although O'Sullivan was unable to win the frame after missing a red further in the break, Zhou was powerless to stop him from claiming his 100th victory in the UK Championship as O'Sullivan recorded a fine 122 century break in the decider.

After the 6-5 victory, O'Sullivan will meet Hossein Vafaei on Saturday for a place in Sunday's final after he beat Zhang Anda 6-4 in Friday's other afternoon quarter-final.