November 3rd 2024.
On Sunday in Nanjing, Ronnie O'Sullivan caused quite a stir as he took on Mink Nutcharut at the International Championship. The match had to be delayed "for safety reasons" due to the massive turnout of fans. The Rocket, as he is known in the snooker world, emerged victorious with a score of 6-3, making two impressive centuries, including a brilliant 132 in the final frame.
It's no surprise that the 48-year-old O'Sullivan attracts the largest crowds in the sport wherever he goes. This was certainly the case at the South New City National Fitness Center, where fans flocked to catch a glimpse of the seven-time world champion. The sheer number of spectators wanting to watch the match between O'Sullivan and Mink caused the previous session on the main table to be cut short. As a result, the main event started almost an hour behind schedule.
The World Snooker Tour took to social media to inform fans about the delay, stating: "Due to the amount of spectators, for safety reasons the afternoon session has been delayed until 2:50pm." Eurosport commentator David Hendon also shed some light on the situation during the match, explaining that the previous session had to be shortened in order to accommodate the large number of people trying to get into the venue.
The previous match on the main table was between defending champion Zhang Anda and Ishpreet Singh Chadha. However, with Zhang leading 5-4, the match had to be stopped and will resume at a later time. It was clear that the International Championship's move to Nanjing for the first time was a success, as snooker proved to be extremely popular in the Jiangsu city.
While many fans were eager to watch the O'Sullivan vs Mink match, there were also plenty who enjoyed the action on table two. World champion Kyren Wilson put on a dominant display, defeating Mitchell Mann 6-0. O'Sullivan's win, on the other hand, was not as comfortable as some predicted, with Mink winning the first frame and keeping the score close at 4-3. However, the seven-time world champion found his form and finished the match in style with a 69 and a final frame score of 132.
In an Instagram post, O'Sullivan expressed his appreciation for the crowd and the set-up at the International Championship, as well as Chinese events in general. "Best tournaments in the world, the fans are amazing, we're supported really well," he said. "You only have to look at this venue, how great it is, the facilities, it's beautiful." He also had a special message for his opponent, Mink, saying, "An absolute privilege to play such a talented opponent. Thank you for the game and good luck in the future."
Next, O'Sullivan will face 24-year-old He Guoqiang in the next round. The two have played against each other twice before, with He emerging as the winner both times. O'Sullivan had nothing but praise for the Chinese fans, saying, "We're happy to be here, all the players love being here, we're treated very well...It's a pleasure for all of us to come here and play in China for all of the events, you really make us feel special."
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