Ronnie O’Sullivan advanced to the second round of the UK Championship after defeating Anthony McGill in York.
O’Sullivan aims for his eighth UK Championship title, 30 years after winning his first in 1993. He defeated McGill 6-2 in York and faces Milkins or Un-Nooh in the second round.
Ronnie O’Sullivan is aiming for his eighth UK Championship title with a 6-2 win over Anthony McGill in York. He won his first title in 1993 and his most recent in 2018. O’Sullivan slipped 2-0 down to McGill but then reeled off six frames in a row to set up a second-round meeting with Robert Milkins or Thailand’s Thepchaiya Un-Nooh. Speaking to the BBC, O’Sullivan said that he finds the matches long and hard now, finding it harder to concentrate and have the hunger. He believes that battling opponents like McGill is more important than playing well.
Reflecting on the 30th anniversary of his maiden UK title at the age of 17, O’Sullivan added: “You get to the point where you think, ‘I’ll just keep going as long as I can now’.
“At 35, I probably thought I was done and dusted because that is what usually happens, you don’t win so much. But I’ve had my best 10 years. Every year is a bonus, and you appreciate it more. It’s like having a second life.”
Another veteran in 48-year-old John Higgins is also through to the second round following a 6-3 win over Joe O’Connor and will next face Neil Robertson or Zhou Yuelong.
Allen was the defending champion this year but lost 6-5 to Ding Junhui in a repeat of the 2022 final.
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