Barry Hawkins Eliminates Eight-Time UK Champion Ronnie O’Sullivan

Eight-time champion Ronnie O’Sullivan was defeated on the first day of the 2024 UK Championship, falling 6-4 to world number 20 Barry Hawkins. Hawkins described this victory as one of the most significant of his career. The two players previously faced each other in the 2013 World Championship final, where O’Sullivan emerged victorious with a score of 18-12. At the York Barbican, O’Sullivan initially held leads of 3-1 and 4-2. However, Hawkins then showcased exceptional snooker to secure an unexpected win. “It has been eight years since I’ve beaten him so that win has to be right up there for me,” Hawkins stated, noting this was only his third victory in 21 encounters against O’Sullivan. He added: “It’s a massive win. So many times I’ve played him and he has done well and other times he has been there for the taking and I’ve crumbled and could not take advantage.” Hawkins continued, “He looked sharp to me, but I felt strong at the end to get a win. Hopefully this gives me a lot of confidence and I can take that into the next round, but I can’t get carried away.” The 45-year-old Hawkins had previously suffered an 18-12 defeat to O’Sullivan in the 2013 World Championship final. He also held a 9-6 lead in the 2021 Tour Championship semi-finals, only to lose 10-9 in the deciding frame. The Englishman, who secured his place in York by progressing through two qualifying rounds, confessed to anticipating a difficult outcome when he was drawn against the 48-year-old O’Sullivan. “I thought ‘here we go, I’m going home again’,” Hawkins recounted. “So many times I’ve been on the brink of winning against Ronnie and it has gone to the last frame and I’ve lost a decider. Maybe I was a bit more aggressive today, I had a bit more confidence and belief.” He further commented, “Obviously this is a great result but there’s no way I will be happy if I beat Ronnie and then lose in the next round. I know I can do it, but sometimes I’ve not turned up, played awful and crumbled, but I’ve now just beaten the best player in the world.” Ronnie O’Sullivan’s previous UK Championship titles were secured in 1993, 1997, 2001, 2007, 2014, 2017, 2018, and 2023. The top seed, O’Sullivan, began the match strongly, achieving century breaks of 128 and 114, and claiming three of the initial four frames in the crowded arena. Following the mid-session interval, Hawkins secured the first frame. O’Sullivan subsequently displayed his frustration by striking the table with his fist after missing a red ball into the middle pocket. O’Sullivan was then left to observe as Hawkins accumulated over 290 consecutive points and won four frames consecutively, culminating in a notable victory. In the 10th frame, Hawkins established a 60-0 lead. O’Sullivan was presented with a final opportunity, but he was unable to mount a comeback and salvage the match. “Barry played a good match and deserved his win, so I have to give all the credit to him,” O’Sullivan commented. “He played well, was solid and took his chances. “I’m just enjoying playing, that’s the important thing. I try to not look back on it and on to whatever the next event is.”” In other tournament news, former world and UK champion Shaun Murphy advanced to the last 16, securing a 6-5 victory against Zhao Xintong. Zhao, the 2021 champion of this tournament, was competing in his first major tournament match since completing a 20-month suspension. He was among 10 players who received bans in connection with a corruption scandal. Following a suspension lasting one year and eight months, he has now returned to competition and qualified for the UK Championship. While Zhao did not directly fix a match, he was initially handed a two-and-a-half-year suspension, which was later reduced due to his early admissions and guilty plea. He admitted to charges of being involved with another player in fixing two matches and placing bets on matches himself. Murphy claimed the opening frame on the black ball, establishing a 3-0 lead with the help of breaks of 98 and 76. However, Zhao responded by winning two frames, also on the black, to level the score at 3-3, before Murphy ultimately battled to secure the win. “Anyone that has watched me for any part of my career will know it’s not straightforward – I should’ve had it dead and buried,” Murphy stated. “He is a wonderful, beautiful player to watch so I’m absolutely over the moon to get through. Bar Neil Robertson, he was the one everyone wanted to avoid. To get him in the last 32 was as tough a draw as I could’ve got.” Murphy reflected, “I’ve done a bit of soul-searching. I’ve not won one of the big three for 10 years and I’ve been searching what it could be – maybe I’ve just gone a bit nice, a bit soft. Being nice gets you nowhere.” He concluded, “It’s a pit, it’s gladiatorial. I’ve maybe gone out there [in the past] with one arm tied behind my back.” Murphy is scheduled to face three-time UK champion Ding Junhui, who narrowly defeated England’s Robert Milkins 6-5 in a match that concluded late on Saturday. The eighth seed, Ding, held a 3-2 advantage, but Milkins then secured three consecutive frames, including one with a break of 130, bringing him within one frame of victory. Nevertheless, China’s Ding then won three frames in a row, achieving a break of 135 in the 10th frame, en route to his triumph. During the evening session’s other match, unseeded David Gilbert overcame China’s 16th seed Xiao Guodong with a 6-4 scoreline, setting up a last-16 encounter with Hawkins.