RONNIE O’SULLIVAN has branded himself a “dumb” after an “embarrassing” semi-final defeat to Kyren Wilson in China.

The Rocket was beaten 6-4 by the reigning world champion at the Xi’an Grand Prix, but he came back from 5-1 down to win three consecutive frames.

1

O’Sullivan, 48, is currently frustrated with his game and has even taken up playing LEFT-HANDED for the first time in 15 years in a bid to find his magic again.

The seven-time world snooker champion moaned: “It’s embarrassing. I couldn’t do anything. I just kept fighting until the end, but it was really bad.

“Kyren was so much the better player. I did well to get four frames. I’m surprised I got a frame from him!

“Listen, I have no idea where the balls are going. It’s all guesswork out there. It’s a pretty scary prospect. Hopefully it doesn’t go on like this forever.

“It’s a tough game. If you hit the balls like I do. I just spray it over the gaff.

“It’s the semi-finals and I played like an absolute idiot – I call myself an idiot now because it was that bad.

“What can you do? You have to keep going, keep going, keep going to the next one.”

O’Sullivan, whose highest break in the match was just 87, will be looking to get back into form at a new tournament in Saudi Arabia next week.

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS

He continued: “There was no groove at all. It was all instinct.

“I mean, the right hand is completely hopeless right now. It’s been like that for two years. It’s non-existent. I don’t even feel like it’s part of my body.

“I have no choice but to play left-handed. I haven’t played left-handed for 14-15 years.

“I only started last week because I was so desperate. I had to do something else. Maybe in a few months my left hand will be better and more reliable.”

Wilson – who will now play either Judd Trump or Daniel Wells in Sunday’s final – secured victory with a closing break of 102 to claim the top prize of £177,000.

The 32-year-old Warrior said: “I thought I played really well to go 5-1 up. I went straight into it.

“I’ve spent a lot of time with Ronnie in the training room this week and he’s hitting the balls well.

“He does a lot of left-handed play. So it wasn’t a surprise that he hit the balls left-handed. He times it so well that it’s unfair.”

Inside Ronnie’s colorful career

FROM his lightning-fast passes to his fierce criticism of officials, Ronnie O’Sullivan has put snooker in the spotlight.