RONNIE O'SULLIVAN has admitted he feels "horrible" at the snooker table - despite a whirlwind start at the World Championships.
The seven-time world champion made light work of Pang Junxu to book his place in the Crucible quarter-finals on Monday.
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O'Sullivan needed just 17 minutes of the evening session to secure a 13-4 victory.
But he opened up on his inner demons following the win, admitting he "felt so unconfident".
The Rocket snapped his cue after dropping out of the Championship League in January.
He subsequently withdrew from a host of tournaments on medical grounds.
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And he only decided to play at the Crucible the day before his first round match with Ali Carter.
Speaking to the BBC after his win on Monday, O'Sullivan said: "The [new] cue is fine – it’s just me.
"I’ve given up even trying to find out what it is. You try so many things to work it out and you either have to accept it or not.
"I don’t think I could’ve accepted how I was playing for a while.
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“So I’m just going to try and coach my way out of it, give myself two years and just give it a good go.
"I feel so unconfident. It’s like, horrible. It’s horrible even when you’re playing alright.
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"I got messed up by a coach and I am just trying to unravel it but I just don’t think I can."
O'Sullivan has shown glimpses of his extraordinary talent in beating both Carter and Junxu by an aggregate of 23-8.
But he claims he "played poorly" in both matches, despite big margins of victory.
The Rocket continued: "I know I’m probably not normal and have accepted that as well.
"If either player I played had played well I would have got beat because I've played poorly. They’ve let me off the hook. It's difficult. It's difficult."
World Snooker Championship 2025
WE are BACK at the Crucible for another thrilling fortnight of snooker action!
There will be a new champion this year after reigning champ Kyren Wilson crashed out in the first round after a stunning performance from Lei Peifan.
Ronnie O'Sullivan will take to the snooker table after missing recent tournaments, while world No 1 Judd Trump heads into the tournament as the favourite.
The likes of Shaun Murphy and John Higgins are also expected to be contenders.
- You can follow every frame of the tournament LIVE - plus the latest news, interviews and reaction - as it happens with our dedicated BLOG.
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Action on Monday evening lasted just 17 minutes into the evening session, with Luca Brecel wrapping up his own 13-4 win over Ding Junhui.
Despite the early finish, O'Sullivan cast a downbeat figure as he spoke with the Beeb.
He added: "I hit a safety shot there in that frame and caught it so thick.
"I can’t even see where I’m hitting it, it’s just guesswork.
"Then I try it again and a different shot comes off. On the balls I was alright but there are so many parts to the game.
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"It’s hell to be honest. I just want to enjoy it. I don’t care about winning – that’s just a bonus.
"But I just want to be part of a good game."
