English Open 2021 - Ronnie O'Sullivan bemoans tip issues ahead of Jamie Clarke showdown

Updated 04/11/2021 at 18:49 GMT

“It's got worse. The penny dropped it's not going to get any better. It's just sort of like, well what's the point?” Ronnie O'Sullivan is uphappy with the state of his cue ahead of his English Open fourth round match with Jamie Clarke. "You don't want to play if your equipment is not right." Stream the English Open live and on demand on discovery+.

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Ronnie O’Sullivan is concerned about the state of his cue ahead of his English Open fourth round match with Jamie Clarke.

The Rocket beat Anthony Hamilton 4-3 in round three but was unhappy with his tip and was seen having a lengthy chat with his opponent when the match finished.

Speaking afterwards, the 2017 champion broke down exactly what was wrong with his equipment during the win.

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“The tip's horrendous,” he told Rachel Casey and Neal Foulds in the Eurosport studio. “Sounds awful.

“You play by sound and it's not sounding right. So I don't even know if I've hit a good one. I might have hit a good one but I don't know because the sound tells you normally.

“It's got worse. The penny dropped it's not going to get any better. It's just sort of like, well what's the point?”

O’Sullivan now faces Clarke for a place in the quarter final just hours after his win over Hamilton and is hoping he can find a swift solution to his cue issues.

That said, the six-time former world champion will accept his fate if he is unable to progress any further in Milton Keynes.

“I've only got 'til tonight. How long have I got? Couple of hours? I don't care, anyway. Listen, if I'm back here doing a bit of punditry from tomorrow onwards, happy days.

“I've had a good three matches. I get another one tonight. Hopefully I get the tip right and if the tip comes good and I'm happy to play. If I don't then I just have to put it right for next one.”

O’Sullivan saw a 3-1 lead slip against Hamilton with his old friend fighting back to make it 3-3.

O'Sullivan and Hamilton have a laugh over long red

Momentum was with the underdog and O’Sullivan admits he could have lost the match before his winning century in decider.

“I just thought I've only got one more frame with this tip and if I’m out of here, and get something to eat, and I haven't got to play anymore snooker, so I've got to try and get it sorted for tonight because otherwise it's disheartening."