God. I've been covering snooker for almost 15 years now, and I've never seen The Rocket look so utterly lost. It was like watching someone have an existential crisis right there in the interview room.

Ronnie O'Sullivan, the man we've all watched dominate this sport for decades, just sat there looking completely shell-shocked after getting absolutely demolished 17-7 by Zhao Xintong in the World Championship semis. And when I say demolished, I mean it was painful to watch. The match finished with an entire session to spare – something that hasn't happened to Ronnie at the Crucible since 1994.

What the hell happened to The Rocket?

I was sitting three rows back when Zhao won EIGHT consecutive frames in just 82 minutes on Friday. Eighty-two minutes! That's barely enough time to finish my overpriced coffee from teh venue café. The crowd around me went from enthusiastic "Come on Ronnie!" chants to this awkward, uncomfortable silence. Poor Ronnie. You could practically feel everyone's collective embarrassment.

This wasn't just a defeat. This was a public unraveling.

The Desperate Cue Crisis

The most telling sign of Ronnie's mental state? He changed his cue tip THREE separate times during the match and even swapped out the ferrule. As someone who's played (badly) for years, that's like changing your engine mid-race. It screams desperation.

My buddy who works backstage texted me during the second session: "He's completely lost it. Keeps staring at his cue like it betrayed him." And honestly, that's exactly how it looked from where I was sitting.

A Confession That Left Everyone Stunned

After the match, Ronnie gave what might be the most concerning interview I've heard from any top athlete in recent memory. The seven-time world champ – usually so confident, sometimes arrogant – looked like a man who'd just lost his way home.

"I'm at a loss to be honest with you," he said, eyes darting around the room. "I have lost what I used to have. I'm so confused. It feels really a struggle."

I was standing just off-camera, and let me tell you – the room went dead silent. This wasn't the usual post-match excuses. This was... different.

Is This Really the End?

What struck me most was when he admitted: "I don't know if I can fix it." He mentioned giving it two more years, but then immediately contradicted himself with: "if you play like that, it's pretty pointless."

Back in 2022, I spent $400 on tickets to watch him play at Alexandra Palace, convinced I might be seeing one of his last tournaments. Three years later, I'm starting to think I wasn't wrong after all.

The Rising Dragon

Meanwhile, Zhao Xintong was playing like a man possessed. His long potting was ridiculous – I'm talking jaw-dropping, shake-your-head-in-disbelief good. And this from a guy who only returned from a 20-month corruption ban last September!

The contrast between them couldn't have been more stark. One player ascending, the other... well...

Zhao was actually incredibly gracious afterward. "I don't want to win at the Crucible like this," he said, looking almost embarrassed by the margin of victory. "Hopefully he can go to No.8 here. He's my idol."

His response when asked about his plans before the final? "I will have a big lunch. Don't think about snooker." I laughed out loud at that one. Simple pleasures.

Where does Ronnie go from here?

I've followed O'Sullivan's career since I was a teenager, adn I'm genuinely worried about what I saw yesterday. This wasn't just a bad day at the office. This was a man questioning everything he knows about the game that defined his life.

"I've been awful for quite a while," he admitted. "I never gave him a game and that's disappointing."

The crowd tried to rally behind him, but even they seemed to sense it was futile. When the end finally came, Ronnie just wanted out. While Zhao tried to get the audience to give O'Sullivan a proper send-off, the defeated champion was already heading for the exit.

As someone who's watched nearly every major match of his career, it felt like watching a different person entirely.

Let's be real – we might be witnessing the beginning of the end for one of snooker's greatest ever players. And it's not going out with a bang, but with confusion and self-doubt.

That's the thing about sports that always gets me. No matter how great you are, eventually time catches up. Even to The Rocket.