Ronnie O’Sullivan made snooker history with his 153 break at the World Open, but there’s a chance this remarkable achievement could be surpassed at this year’s World Snooker Championship if anyone dares to outshine the Rocket.

The snooker world watched in awe as O’Sullivan capitalised on a blunder from Ryan Day during the quarter-final of their World Open match to record the highest break ever witnessed in a competitive snooker match. After snookering the Welshman, O’Sullivan opted to start the break on free ball – affording him the chance to pot green and then black to advance to eight points before he’d even potted a single red.

From that point, he knocked out a further 145, clearing all 15 reds along with 13 blacks and two pinks, to soar beyond the standard ‘maximum’ of 147 to finish on 153 points.

It’s the highest that’s ever been recorded in competitive snooker, and just two points short of the highest score it’s mathematically possible to accumulate in a single break.

To surpass it, a player would need to start from the same position – a free ball followed by a black – before clearing a 147 break to register 155 points.

But the reason that’s never been achieved is straightforward – it’s incredibly difficult.

Firstly, it necessitates the rare event of laying an inescapable snooker before a single ball has been potted, something which is seldom seen in a televised match.

From that position, the player must then pot a free ball and a black before rattling off a further 147 – every single red and 15 blacks, before clearing all the colours in sequence.

The 147 break, in its own right, is something O’Sullivan has only achieved 17 times in his entire career, and it’s only been accomplished on 15 occasions by any player at the World Snooker Championship.

Even O’Sullivan’s 153 required two highly unlikely and impressive feats and that’s why it stands as the highest ever break, and likely will be for decades to come.

For his part, though, the Rocket just wishes it paid more.

Afterwards, he said: “It was a great buzz, I could have tried and got the other black but I thought nobody has ever made a break above 147 on TV so thought I would be the first.

“I still feel a little rusty, I obviously haven’t played enough matches and tournaments, that’s what everybody seems to be saying. I’m still hoping to shake the rustiness off – that’s just a joke.

“I’m sure that’s up there (with the best moments in my career), two 147s in one match was quite cool. I just wish I got paid more for it, that’s all.”