Disaster in the World Championship semi-final: Snooker giant O'Sullivan goes down and destroys himself

Ronnie O'Sullivan travels to Sheffield to become snooker world champion for the eighth time. But the Englishman's quest ends in disaster in the semifinals. Snooker giant O'Sullivan is dismantled and feels really bad.

Seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan was eliminated in the semifinals of the Snooker World Championship in Sheffield. The Englishman lost 5-3 to the nerveless Chinese player Zhao Xintong in the third session at the Crucible Theatre, conceding a 7-17 defeat. His dream of an eighth title was dashed by too many simple errors.

He made it too easy for Zhao, O'Sullivan said afterward, and he was at odds with himself. "I've never had such low confidence," said the 49-year-old: "Sometimes you know what you have to do, but I just didn't have that feeling."

With title number eight, O'Sullivan would have become the sole record holder of the Modern Era – instead, Zhao is now on the verge of winning his first World Championship. "Obviously, he's hard to beat when he's in good form, especially when you make as many errors as I do," said O'Sullivan. In the final, the Chinese will face either Englishman Judd Trump or three-time world champion Mark Williams of Wales.

After a memorable second session, which O'Sullivan lost 8-0, he was under pressure on Friday evening – and initially delivered. He confidently won the first two frames, but then Zhao took control. O'Sullivan, on the other hand, made more and more avoidable mistakes.

O'Sullivan had already been self-critical before the semifinal. "I'm playing terribly and my cue feels terrible, but I'm still here," he told the BBC after his quarterfinal victory. "I'm not going to get away with what I've done so far. I can't get any worse, if you like." The other semifinal proved to be considerably more exciting. Williams brought the aggregate score to 8-8 with a 5-3 win in the second session.