Snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan suffered another early exit from a tournament - this time against an injured opponent.
Martin Gould produced an impressive performance to dispatch the seven-time world champion 4-1 at the English Open to progress to the round of 16, despite dealing with a knee injury.
He has been unable to practise exactly as he’d like due to his troublesome knee, but he fought through any discomfort impeccably well, as he secured breaks of 60, 57 and 61 en route to a big win over The Rocket. After his win, the 41-year-old explained why he has had a quiet season so far before sending the world number one home.
“I enjoyed it. I’ve had to manage a couple of things away from the game, I injured my knee before the season started and I have to have injections in it," he told Eurosport. “Sometimes I can’t even walk. Luckily I don’t need surgery, but it’s the right knee so I’m limited to an hour or an hour-and-a-half practice. I can up it a bit after an injection, but it’s not been great.”
Perhaps the English Open may prove to be turning point in the world number 43’s season and he is certainly full of confidence after sealing arguably the biggest win of his career. “It was good, I enjoyed it,” Gould said. “I know what Ronnie’s like because I’ve played him many a time back home, but it was a different experience here.
“I felt a lot more comfortable this afternoon than sometimes when I’ve played him before. It was all about getting off to a good start and that’s what I managed to do.” As Gould mentioned he has played O’Sullivan several times in the past and the pair were once practice partners.
Although he has seen how devastating the Rocket can be first hand, he was not intimidated when they took to the match table in Essex. “If you don’t enjoy practicing with Ronnie then there’s something wrong,” he said.
“If I’m not going to take inspiration from that then there’s definitely something wrong with me.” O’Sullivan confessed he was “gutted” after his latest loss, as he was unable to follow up his entertaining victory over Dechawat Poomjaeng.
“He played great, he played too good for me. Nothing I could do today,” he told Eurosport. "I’m gutted. I was really enjoying it. But that’s the way it goes sometimes.
“You can’t win them all and I just enjoy playing. I’ve loved playing this week, I’ve enjoyed every game and enjoyed it out there. I had a few chances… if I was to sit back and watch that, a little inch on that cue ball in the first frame when I was on a 60-odd [break], I ‘Chinesed’ myself.
“I’m never one for ifs and buts, the ball landed where it landed, but another day I get through there, could win tonight, could be sitting here Sunday the champion of the English Open. It’s just fine margins.”
