Eight-time winner Ronnie O’Sullivan was knocked out of the UK Championship as he fell to a shock 6-4 first-round defeat by China’s Zhou Yuelong on Tuesday at York Barbican.

O’Sullivan, who turns 50 on Friday, was enjoying his first match in a UK event since his 17-7 loss to Zhao Xintong within the semi-finals of the World Championship on the Crucible in Sheffield in Might.

Regardless of making fast and entertaining breaks of 71, 123, 62, 94, 65 and 56 in opposition to Zhou, O’Sullivan misplaced 4 frames on the black, together with the seventh when he had led 64-0, solely to lose it 65-64.

Zhou, twenty ninth on this planet rankings, was by no means behind and a very good clearance of 125 took him one body from victory at 5-3.

He led early within the ninth body however couldn’t seal the win. Nonetheless, one other likelihood quickly got here alongside.

O’Sullivan was 58-46 forward in body 10 however misplaced place when going from yellow to inexperienced and that enabled Zhou to clinch an outstanding victory.

Regarded by many as snooker’s biggest ever participant, Englishman O’Sullivan now lives in Dubai together with his household and is much extra selective in regards to the occasions he performs in.

He had crushed 27-year-old Zhou in every of their earlier seven conferences, however this end result continues a fantastic competitors for China, with seven Chinese language gamers within the final 16.

On desk two, two-time UK champion Mark Selby was in very good type as he secured a 6-2 victory over Chinese language qualifier Lei Peifan.

Selby made breaks of 51, 82, 75 and 133 to maneuver 5-0 forward, earlier than Lei gained two frames in a row to maintain his hopes alive, however the Englishman took the eighth body to arrange a last-16 tie in opposition to Zhou.