Ronnie O’Sullivan was impressed with Zhang Anda’s break (Image: X/Eurosport)
Snooker icon cracked a joke about Zhang Anda’s ‘perfect’ 147 break at the after beating Lei Peifan in his first-round match.
The seven-time world champion, who was knocked out on the opening day of the event after losing to Barry Hawkins, took on the role of pundit for Zhang’s match.
And the 48-year-old was treated to a wonderful display of snooker after the Chinese player, 32, secured a 147-break at the Barbican in York.
The world number 11 knocked in the perfect break in the fourth frame of the contest, which he went on to win 6-3. While O’Sullivan couldn’t help but heap praise on Zhang, he also added a cheeky backhanded compliment.
“Ah dear, that was great. I’d be buzzing, it’s a great feeling to make a 147,” O’Sullivan said on Eurosport.
“If you look at that 147, that was a perfect 147. He’s never out of position. Some people are plotting reds in here and blacks in there, and I’m like ‘that don’t really count’.
“But that was the perfect break, such good positioning as well. He’s composed. When you’ve got such good positional play, inside you feel calm because you’re confident you’re going to get on the ball.”
Zhang Anda sealed a 147-break at the UK Championship (Image: Getty)
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Zhang will claim the £15,000 prize for sealing the maximum break, although that amount will be halved if any other players manage to match his achievement during the remainder of this week’s tournament, which concludes on Sunday.
He has an opportunity to boost his earnings to £147,000 if he lands another 147 break across the Triple Crown events in York, the Saudi Arabia Masters or World Championship.
When made aware of that, O’Sullivan quipped that snooker stars are being made to work harder for their bonuses.
“One’s not enough, you’ve got to make two [breaks] these days,” O’Sullivan joked. “Make him work a bit harder! No free lunch… no free lunch mate!”
Snooker star Ronnie O’Sullivan was knocked out of the first round (Image: Getty)
“That is the ?????????????????????????????????????????? 147!” ??????Ronnie O’Sullivan and Reanne Evans commentate over the final shots to heaps praise on Zhang Anda, who knocks in a maximum at the UK Championship ???????????? | |
— Eurosport (@eurosport)
Noppon Saengkham made a 147 at the Saudi Arabia Masters, which means that he and Zhang are the two players now one maximum away from the huge prize.
It’s only the sixth time this season that a player has managed the feat on the World Snooker Tour this year and the third time in Zhang’s career that he’s completed a 147.
Reacting to the max break, Zhang said: “This is my third time making a maximum, but this time I felt different because UK Championship is a big event. Just very happy.
“I just watched the video. When I play I was not that nervous, when I watch me play I feel nervous.”