Ronnie O’Sullivan predicts cue tip will fly off again at Welsh Open – ‘The noise isn’t right’

Ronnie O’Sullivan admits his cue tip will probably fly off again at the 2023 Welsh Open after being plagued by the malfunction in Llandudno.

He says he will now persevere until the end of the tournament, where he is through to the last 16 and faces Belgian teenager Ben Mertens on Thursday evening.

“I just see it as a challenge really. I’m trying to work more on my mental skills because I’ve neglected that quite a bit. I use it for some tournaments, not all,” he said in the Eurosport studio as he juggles playing with punditry.

“But I’ve decided I’m going to try to do it for every match. I’m just trying to mentally deal with it as well as I can. That’s all you can do really.”

Asked if he had made any changes to his tip, O’Sullivan replied: “No, I’ll stick with it. I’ve just got to get mentally through it.

“If it comes off again, I’m just going to have to stick it on, mentally reboot and just get on with the game.”

O’Sullivan said it was unlikely his tip would last the remainder of the tournament.

“Probably not. It’ll probably come off in this match [against Mertens] as well I would assume,” he said.

“I can feel it coming off, the noise isn’t right, but there’s nothing I can do.

“Paul Collier has stuck it on with new glue, done everything he can. He’s the guy that puts on the tips for players at the tournament.

“It probably will come off again – that’s if I get enough shots. If I get blasted off 4-0, it will probably stay on!”

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