Snooker star who wowed Ronnie O’Sullivan offers to get back to visit following two-year exile-snooker247news.
Snooker star Sunny Akani is bidding to return to the World Snooker Tour after losing his tour card in 2022. The Thai potter wowed Ronnie O’Sullivan seven years ago when he almost stunned the Rocket in the last 16 of the UK Championship.
Akani is aiming for six wins in the Asia and Oceania Q School, which got underway at the Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok on Wednesday.
There are four WST places for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons up for grabs at the qualifying tournament.
Akani went head-to-head with seven-time world champion O’Sullivan at York Barbican in 2017 when he was ranked at No.84 in the world.
The 28-year-old took a 2-0 lead, before moving 4-2 ahead. And he was later just one frame from victory when he won the ninth frame to go 5-4 up.But O’Sullivan hit back and won the final two frames to clinch a 6-5 victory. And after the showdown, he said: “If I could pot long balls like you, I’d take them on as well.But O’Sullivan hit back and won the final two frames to clinch a 6-5 victory. And after the showdown, he said: “If I could pot long balls like you, I’d take them on as well.
Akani was enjoying the form of his life during the tournament and had thumped 2013 World Snooker Championship runner-up Barry Hawkins 6-0 in the previous round.
And following his narrow defeat to O’Sullivan, the Thailand star explained: “It was a fantastic match. I tried to play more attacking. I really enjoyed it so I am very happy. He said I played a good standard and I was very good. In the 10th frame I potted the green and the blue but it can happen.”
Akani went on the climb to No.44 in the world in 2021 but then revealed he was suffering with depression after contracting Covid-19. “If I practise too much I feel dizzy, I get mind fog and sometimes loss of memory,” Akani said in 2022.
“I talk to my wife and I can’t remember what I said. I lost a few matches recently so I tried to practise more, what I used to do, seven or eight hours. But my body felt so tired, sometimes when I line up the shot, my vision is not clear.
I’m still suffering with long Covid and depression. My health is more important. I’m trying to focus on my body first right now and if my body is getting better, I think I can show I can play better on the table.“I know what I can do but when I go to play in a match, my health is not allowing me to play well. I’m just trying to feel more relaxed and hope I get better and I can show what I can do.”
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