Snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan has progressed to the next round of the International Championship in China following a surprise admission by the Essex man.
O’Sullivan, 49, returned to the table with a dominant 6-2 win over Sanderson Lam in the second round.
After a slow start, the Rocket came from behind to defeat his fellow English player.
He will join the likes of World No 1 Judd Trump, who beat Matthew Stephens 6-3, and Shaun Murphy, who edged a victory over Wang Xinzhong.
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Reigning champion Ding Junhui continued his title defence by defeating Michael Holt 6-1.
O’Sullivan's progression comes just hours after the world No 5 revealed he is enjoying snooker again.
He admitted that he is having more fun now than he has had in several years.
O'Sullivan said: "It never feels like a grind when you're cueing well."
Snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan has progressed to the next round of the International Championship in China
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He added: "I'm enjoying playing more than I have done for maybe over a decade.
"When I play alright, the crowd appreciate the shots and the break-building. When I click into gear, that raises the temperature in there a little bit."
The 49-year-old narrowly beat Allan Taylor after finding himself two frames down on two separate occasions.
The comeback win, which included a burst of century breaks, appeared to be enjoyed in Nanjing, China.
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Ronnie O’Sullivan returned to the table with a dominant 6-2 win over Sanderson Lam in the second round
|GETTY
O'Sullivan has publicly discussed his struggles with mental health, including depression, anxiety and "stage fright".
He has admitted that the pressure of snooker has driven him to a "bad place mentally" and revealed that sometimes he wishes he had pursued a different career.
Due to these issues, the Rocket was forced to withdraw from multiple events throughout the 2024–2025 snooker season, including the British Open, World Grand Prix, Masters, Welsh Open, and Wuhan Open.
Now, the seven-time world champion has his eyes on the International Championship for the first time in his career.
Ronnie O’Sullivan has publicly discussed his struggles with mental health
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His previous best performance at the event came two years ago in 2023, where he made it to the semi-finals before losing to eventual champion Zhang Anda.
O'Sullivan has not won a ranking title since claiming a third World Grand Prix crown in January last year.
He will next play in the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship later this month, following the International Championship.