Did Ronnie O'Sullivan produce his worst display in 33 years at the World Snooker Championship as Zhao Xintong completes 8-0 session whitewash?

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Ronnie O'Sullivan has enjoyed his greatest moments in winning the world title seven times, but the snooker GOAT has also suffered some inexplicable defeats at the Crucible since his debut in 1993. After changing the tip and ferrule on his cue overnight before resuming his semi-final against Zhao Xintong level at 4-4, O'Sullivan lost all eight frames in a farcical morning session on Friday.

'I don't think he can believe it' - O'Sullivan woes worsen as he misses routine blue

Video credit: TNT Sports

Ronnie O'Sullivan has seen and done it all since making his debut at the World Championship in 1993, but there is always room for more extraordinary drama whenever the snooker GOAT washes up at the Crucible.

It is fair to say there was a touch of farce attached to the goings-on at the theatre on Friday morning, more akin to The Play That Goes Wrong on the old green baize, when O'Sullivan returned for the second session with his semi-final against Zhao Xintong level at 4-4 and promptly shipped all eight frames to trail 12-4.

Having led 4-3 on Thursday afternoon after producing four 60+ knocks, it means the seven-time champion lost nine straight frames before being eliminated from the Sheffield event with a session to spare, as former UK champion Zhao eased through to the showpiece final with a 17-7 drubbing.

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Much of O'Sullivan's travails came down to a hefty bout of self-harming overnight as he opted to change the ferrule and tip on his cue and completely lost his bearings in astonishingly failing to accumulate a break over 30.

Choices are not only restricted to the table in snooker.

Despite being presented with several decent scoring opportunities, Zhao was not punished and duly dominated the second session with two centuries and five 50+ breaks, leaving him in complete control against a self-harming opponent who had lost all sense of direction.

O'Sullivan sinks 'deserved' red fluke, but then falls short with 'very unusual' blue

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"He has changed from the titanium back to the brass ferrule," 12-time women's world champion Reanne Evans told TNT Sports.

"It is guesswork all the time. You have to allow time for certain shots with a new tip, let alone a new ferrule.

"He has not had time to adjust, Zhao put him under pressure, and he had no time to work it out.

"It was all guesswork and Zhao basically wiped the floor with Ronnie."

Despite being left in his chair for most of the second session, O'Sullivan, who smashed up his old cue at the Championship League in January, is not witnessing anything new in seeing his own game unravel on the sport's biggest stage.

He first suffered an 8-0 session defeat to John Parrott, losing 13-3 to the 1991 world champion, in the second round in 1994.

Old foe John Higgins did likewise in the semi-finals in 1998, racing clear from 4-4 to 12-4 before closing out a 17-9 victory during his run to the crown.

And fellow Scotsman Graeme Dott repeated the dose, stretching away to a 16-8 lead from 8-8 in the last four, on his way to claiming the Crucible title in 2006.

'Pure frustration' for O'Sullivan in second session against Zhao - Evans

Video credit: TNT Sports

There have also been a couple of memorable meltdowns from O'Sullivan when the heat has come on, most notably two years ago when he held a 10-6 lead against Luca Brecel before losing the final seven frames in 79 minutes to relinquish his grip on the trophy.

He also led 2002 winner Peter Ebdon 8-2 in the quarter-finals in 2005, but lost 13-11 to an opponent who could not muster a break over 60.

The fourth session whitewash he suffered against Zhao was perhaps the most avoidable, with the decision to begin tinkering with his equipment between sessions a massive risk.

In hindsight, a call that now looks about as wise as borrowing a cue.

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