Ronnie O’Sullivan made a winning start to his competitive heyball career on Wednesday, defeating Ivan Kakovskiy 15-9 at the 2026 Huacai World Open in Deqing, China.
The seven-time World Snooker Champion entered the tournament at the last-64 stage and quickly demonstrated his class, controlling much of the contest before sealing victory to advance in one of the most lucrative events in cue sports. The tournament carries a top prize of more than £500,000 (5 million Chinese Yuan) and has attracted many of the world’s leading heyball players.
O’Sullivan opened up an early advantage and maintained control throughout the match, keeping Kakovskiy at arm’s length despite a late rally from the Russian-born player. The Englishman eventually closed out a comfortable 15-9 victory to continue his run in the competition.
The 50-year-old has made no secret of his growing interest in heyball, also known as Chinese 8-ball, in recent years. Having not lifted a ranking title on the professional snooker circuit for more than two years, O’Sullivan has spoken openly about exploring opportunities within the rapidly expanding heyball scene.
Last December, O’Sullivan participated in a high-profile exhibition event in Hangzhou, where he defeated two of the sport’s biggest stars. However, this week’s appearance marks his first taste of genuine competitive action in a major heyball tournament.
His opponent, Ivan Kakovskiy, is a multiple-time Russian national champion and a familiar name to snooker followers. Kakovskiy came agonisingly close to earning a place on the professional snooker tour in 2021 and has previously competed in World Championship qualifying events.
With victory secured, O’Sullivan moves a step closer to the knockout stages of the event. The tournament currently operates under a double-elimination format, meaning players have two opportunities to qualify before the competition transitions into a straight knockout draw.
Next up for ‘The Rocket’ is a reported clash with women’s heyball star Chen Siming as he continues his bid for a successful debut campaign in China.
A winning start, and another chapter added to the remarkable career of one of cue sport’s greatest-ever players.
