That’s a big concern’ – Ronnie O’Sullivan’s tip flies off twice against Ross Muir at Welsh Open

It was all looking like a typical day at the snooker as Ronnie O’Sullivan knocked in a century in the first frame of his second round match against Ross Muir.

In went the final blue for O’Sullivan’s 1195th century but then when he potted the pink, his tip suddenly flew off.

O’Sullivan could not believe it as he immediately shook his head and said to referee Luise Kraatz that his tip had come off.

Kraatz initially thought O’Sullivan was finished with his break, since you do not have to pot the final black in snooker if you have already won the frame, before realising what had happened.

“Oh his tip has come off, wow,” said Eurosport commentator Dave Hendon. “There’s going to be a break here while that’s sorted out. That’s incredible

“His tip has come off so the break ends at 108 and he’s going off to sort that out. That’s a big concern.”

Snooker rules state you get 15 minutes to repair any cue damages, but O’Sullivan only needed 10 before he was back in action.

Tournament director Paul Collier may have helped O’Sullivan put a new tip on or super glue his original tip.

“He just forced the ball and the tip goes as far as the cue ball, I thought, ‘why is he so disappointed with that shot’, but his tip had come off,” reacted Neal Foulds in the Eurosport studio.

However, the drama was not done there because O’Sullivan’s tip came off again, this time when he struck a simple red into the middle pocket during the second frame.

It soon became clear that this was going to be a big problem for The Rocket as the match came to a halt again.

Foulds revealed O’Sullivan used a different cue during his 5-0 defeat to Hossein Vafaei in the German Masters qualifiers in November and may have to use a different cue for the rest of the match if his tip kept flying off.

“He might have to get a different cue out, if it keeps happening that’s no good to anyone is it,” said Foulds.

“I don’t know if you can keep having breaks. This match might never end if it keeps coming off.

“I know we always big up O’Sullivan but he’s probably the only player who can use a different cue and still play well. He would still be tough to beat.”

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