 Nyorai kuenderera mberi kwechikamu chino - Akasvika kumagumo ake epasi rose muna 2001, kwaakakunda John Higgins 1814 kuti atore zita rake rekutanga renyika uye asvike panhamba mbiri mumatanho epasi rose. Akakunda zita rake rechitatu reUK gare gare muna 2001, izvo zvakamubatsira kuti awane nhamba yekutanga pasi rose kekutanga mu a hrefSnooker20world20rankings2020022003 20022003 mwakaa. Nemurwi wenyika wenguva nhanhatu Ray Reardon achishanda semurairidzi wake uye chipangamazano, akahwina zita rake rechipiri renyika muna 2004, achikunda Graeme Dott 188 mumutambo wekupedzisira, mushure mezvo akabata nhamba yekutanga mumwaka miviri inotevera. Akawedzera zita rake rechipiri reMasters muna 2005, makore gumi mushure mekutanga kwake. Zvisinei, mufambiro wake wakava usingachinjiki pakati pema2000 apo airwisana nokuora mwoyo. Mukati me2005 World Championship, akaveura musoro wake pakati pemutambo uye akaratidzira izvo The Independent yakadana kuparara kwepfungwa kwevanhu apo akarasikirwa ne11 yemapikicha gumi nemana ekupedzisira mumakwikwi ake ekupedzisira naPeter Ebdon. Pa2005 UK Championship, akagara netauro rakanyorova rakaputirwa pamusoro wake panguva yemutambo wake naMark King. Achitevera Stephen Hendry 14 mumakwikwi avo akanakisa-e-17-frame quarter-fainari pa2006 UK Championship, akakurumidza kubvuma mutambo panguva yechitanhatu furemu ndokubva abva munhandare. Hendry akapiwa mutambo 91 uye OSullivan akabhadharwa 20,800 pamusoro pechiitiko chacho. 