Ronnie O’Sullivan has created history by making the highest break in professional snooker after hitting a 153 at the World Open.
The 50-year-old is preparing for next month’s World Snooker Championship, where he will attempt to win a record eighth crown in the modern era by breaking a tie for seven with Stephen Hendry.
And in his last tournament before heading to Sheffield, O’Sullivan achieved the record feat after leaving quarter-final opponent Ryan Day in a snooker at the start of the opening frame.
After the Welshman’s failed attempt to get out of it, O’Sullivan was given a free ball.
The seven-time world champion started his break with the green before pocketing the opening black to leave him on eight points before starting to target the reds.
O’Sullivan then reeled off the 15 reds, accompanied by 13 further blacks and two pinks before clearing up the colours to land a record-breaking 153.
His rapid start paved the way for a dominant 5-0 victory as O’Sullivan stormed into the semi-finals in China.
“Big shout out to all the people who have messaged me and congratulated me on the 153,” O’Sullivan said in a video posted on X.
“It was a pretty cool moment, really happy to do it. Thank you to everyone out there who has supported me.”
“A privilege to be here to watch that. To speak over it,” former world No. 3 Neal Foulds said during commentary for TNT Sports.
“That was an incredible moment for me just to watch O’Sullivan do what he did there. A break of 153, it’s almost like: ‘Did it really happen? Have I dreamt it?’ Incredible stuff.”
O’Sullivan will play Yize Wu for a place in the final after the Chinese star defeated Mark Allen in the quarter-finals.
PA also contributed to this report
