What Cue Does Ronnie O’Sullivan Use?
Short answer: Ronnie O’Sullivan has spent most of his career with cues from master craftsman John Parris (he has also been linked with Hunt & Osborne), but since the 2025–26 season he has been playing with cues made by fellow professional Sunny Akani. He changes cues more than almost anyone on tour, and at the 2026 World Championship he even carried two.
| Spec | What we know |
|---|---|
| Maker | John Parris for most of his career; Sunny Akani cues since 2025 |
| Length | Reported as around 58¼ inches (Hamilton Billiards) |
| Weight | Not publicly documented for his current cue |
| Tip | Not publicly documented; he has said the tip matters more than the cue |
| Joint | Not publicly documented for the Akani cues |
| Source confidence | High on makers and the cue changes; medium on length; low on everything else |
The Parris years
For decades the name most associated with O’Sullivan’s cue case has been John Parris, the London cue maker who also supplies Judd Trump and Neil Robertson. Parris told the BBC that O’Sullivan is famously fussy: he is never fully settled, switches between cues regularly, and has been known to snap the ones he does not like. Each Parris cue is said to take more than a year to make, which makes that habit an expensive one.
Hamilton Billiards, one of the UK’s long-established table and cue suppliers, notes that O’Sullivan has used both Hunt & Osborne and Parris cues and that his cues tend to be around 58¼ inches long, slightly longer than the 57 inches that many off-the-shelf cues are made to.
The snapped cue and the switch to Sunny Akani
In January 2025 O’Sullivan snapped his cue after a defeat to Robert Milkins in the Championship League, and a few days later withdrew from the Masters on medical grounds. By the 2025 Saudi Arabia Masters he was playing with a new cue made by Sunny Akani, the Thai professional who builds cues alongside his playing career.
O’Sullivan was unusually complimentary about it. He told reporters he had used three or four of Akani’s cues and that they were all great, describing Akani as a very intelligent man who makes unbelievable cues and comparing the work to engineering, just with wood. He also joked that he might smash one and simply get another.
Two cues at the Crucible
At the 2026 World Championship O’Sullivan changed cues between the first and second sessions of his opening match because he was unhappy with the tip on day one. He explained to ESPN that the tip is more important than the cue, which is why he brought two. With the back-up cue he made two centuries, nearly completed a 147 and beat He Guoqiang 10-2.
That comment is worth remembering. For all the talk of exotic woods and famous makers, the player with arguably the finest cue action in history puts the tip first.
How the cue suits his game
O’Sullivan’s game is built on a smooth, unhurried delivery and exceptional cue-ball control with minimal effort. A slightly longer cue gives a tall player a comfortable bridge length and a straight follow-through without over-stretching. Because his exact weight and tip size have not been published for his current cues, we would not copy a number from a forum. What is clear is that he values a cue that feels balanced and a tip that holds its shape, and that he will abandon a cue quickly if either is wrong.
Why O’Sullivan changes cues so often
Most professionals find a cue they like and keep it for as long as it lasts. O’Sullivan is the famous exception. John Parris has described him as never quite settled, and the sequence of events since 2025 bears that out: a snapped cue in January, a new maker by August, and two cues in his case at the Crucible the following spring. His comments suggest he is chasing a feeling rather than a set of numbers. When the cue and tip feel right he plays as though the game is easy; when they do not, he looks for something else.
That approach works for a genius with access to the best cue makers in the world. For most players it is the opposite of what they need. Constant changes make it very hard to build a consistent action, because every cue has a slightly different balance, taper and response.
What his length tells a club player
The one measurement with a reasonable source, around 58¼ inches, is more useful than it looks. O’Sullivan is a little taller than average and plays with a long, relaxed follow-through. A cue that is slightly too short forces a player to grip further back or shorten the bridge, both of which can creep into the action. If you are over about six feet tall and your standard 57-inch cue feels cramped, an extra inch or an extension may help more than a new tip or a new brand.
Handmade versus off the shelf
Parris and Akani cues are handmade, with shafts selected for straight grain and a butt balanced to the player’s taste. Riley and BCE sell cues carrying O’Sullivan’s name, but those are licensed production cues rather than copies of what he plays with. They can still be good cues. Just treat the name on the butt as branding, and judge the cue by how straight it is, how it balances and how well the tip is fitted.
Want a cue like Ronnie O’Sullivan’s?
You do not need a £1,000 handmade cue to learn from the way O’Sullivan chooses one. Three things matter most:
- Length to suit your height. A cue around 57–58 inches suits most adults; taller players often benefit from the extra inch. Our sister site has a clear guide to choosing between a 57, 58 or 59 inch cue.
- A tip you trust. If the man himself says the tip matters more than the cue, it is worth understanding the difference between soft, medium and hard tips before anything else.
- Straight, well-seasoned ash. Most top professionals play with ash shafts. You can browse a range of snooker cues at Best Snooker Cue, from affordable one-piece models to jointed cues.
Pick a cue that feels balanced in your hand, fit a tip you understand, and give yourself time with it. That, rather than any particular brand, is the real O’Sullivan lesson.
Frequently asked questions
What cue does Ronnie O’Sullivan use now?
Since the 2025–26 season Ronnie O’Sullivan has played with cues made by Thai professional Sunny Akani. He said he had used three or four of Akani’s cues and rated them all highly. Before that he spent most of his career with John Parris cues, and he regularly changes between cues.
How long is Ronnie O’Sullivan’s cue?
Hamilton Billiards reports that O’Sullivan’s cues are often around 58¼ inches long, a little longer than the standard 57-inch cue. Exact measurements for his current Sunny Akani cues have not been published, so treat any precise figure you see online with caution.
Why did Ronnie O’Sullivan use two cues at the World Championship?
At the 2026 World Championship he was unhappy with the tip on his main cue, so he switched to a back-up for the second session. He told ESPN the tip is more important than the cue, and he went on to make two centuries and win the match 10-2.
