Ronnie O’Sullivan was knocked out within the opening spherical of the 2024 Champion of Champions match in Bolton by China’s Xiao Guodong.
O’Sullivan, 48, a four-time winner of the occasion, had taken a 3-0 lead within the best-of-seven-frames match, solely to lose 4-3 after an excellent comeback from Xiao.
Breaks of 95 and 125 in frames two and three respectively had seven-time world champion O’Sullivan on track to achieve Thursday’s quarter-final on the Toughsheet Neighborhood Stadium.
However Xiao produced breaks of 130, 88 and 85 earlier than profitable the ultimate body 64-35.
He’ll face the winner of the last-16 match between Mark Selby and Shaun Murphy within the quarter-finals.
It’s O’Sullivan’s second consecutive defeat. Final week, he was knocked out of the 2024 Worldwide Championship by Pang Junxu, additionally from China, on the last-32 stage.