Snooker prodigy hailed by O'Sullivan as future star bids to return to professional circuit

Thai snooker player Sunny Akani will bid to end his two-year absence from the World Snooker Tour circuit when he competes in Q School in Bangkok next week.

Akani famously pushed snooker GOAT Ronnie O’Sullivan all the way when he was edged out 6-5 in the last 16 of the 2017 UK Championship in York with O’Sullivan progressing to claim the sixth of his eight UK title victories.

O’Sullivan but recovered from trailing 4-2 and 5-4 to scramble over the line before heaping praise on his opponent, who impressed the seven-time world champion with his long potting.

“If I could pot long balls like you, I’d take them on as well,” said O’Sullivan, who felt the world No. 84 did enough to progress.

“I felt sorry for him. He deserved to win, and I felt like I robbed him of victory.”

The 28-year-old Akani was as high as 44 in the world rankings in 2021 amid a seven-year spell on the main tour that saw him reach quarter-finals at the Shoot Out and Indian Open.

But he lost his tour card in 2022 and could not regain his spot on the circuit at Q School two years ago, but has the chance to bounce back.

The Asia and Oceania Q School begins at Rajamangala National Stadium on Wednesday, May 22 and runs until Sunday, June 2 with two tournaments producing four places on the circuit for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons.