Ronnie O’Sullivan beat Alan Taylor 6-5 in the first round of the International Championship

Taylor looked set to take a 4-1 lead, but after setting red to leave O’Sullivan needing a snooker, he went into an out position when black on his next shot.

O’Sullivan, ranked fifth in the world, eliminated 48 points to reduce the gap to 3-2.

Taylor won a nervy sixth frame in which both players wasted chances, but it was Mark O’Sullivan from that point on where he punished any mistakes and showed his exceptional control of the cue ball.

A brilliant long red ball took him into the deciding frame, and with the balls perfectly placed, he easily cruised to victory.

O’Sullivan, who turns 50 next month, is selective about which tournaments he enters.

He has reached the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters, the Xi’an Grand Prix and the final of the Saudi Arabia Masters this season.

“You never feel tired when you’re in good shape,” O’Sullivan told WST.

“I’m enjoying playing more than I have in over a decade.

“When I play well, the crowd appreciates the shots and the build-up. When I start working, it raises the temperature there a little bit.”