September 23rd 2024.
Ronnie O'Sullivan, one of the greatest snooker players of all time, will not be gracing the halls of Cheltenham this week. His absence is a blow to fans who were eagerly anticipating his first match against Thailand's Manasawin Phetmalaikul. The news was confirmed by the World Snooker Tour, but no reason was given for his decision to withdraw from the Unibet British Open. It's a shame for his supporters, but the show must go on.
The Rocket's lack of enthusiasm for the British Open is well-known, as he has only participated in one edition since its return to the calendar in 2021. In the 2022 tournament, he was defeated in the first round by Alexander Ursenbacher. With his withdrawal from this event, it is likely that his next competitive outing will be at the Wuhan Open next month.
Meanwhile, defending champion Mark Williams suffered a shocking defeat in his opening round match in Cheltenham. Williams, who had triumphantly won the tournament last year by defeating Mark Selby in the final, fell to Malaysian player Rory Thoras in a 4-1 loss. This was a disappointing start for the Welshman, who has been struggling to adjust to his new cue since the Saudi Arabia Masters.
Williams' performance was far from his usual standard, with snooker legend Alan McManus commenting that it was the worst he had seen from him in a long time. Stephen Hendry, also a renowned player and commentator, did not hold back in his assessment of Williams' play, calling it "horrific" and predicting that his new cue would ultimately harm his performance this season.
It's a tough blow for Williams, who had high hopes for this tournament. But as any athlete knows, sometimes a new piece of equipment takes time to get used to. We will have to wait and see if Williams can find his form before his next tournament.
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