 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 yechipiri mumatanho epasi rose. Akakunda zita rake rechitatu reUK gare gare muna 2001, izvo zvakamubatsira kuti awane chinzvimbo chepasi rose chekutanga kekutanga mu a hrefSnooker20world20rankings2020022003 20022003 mwakaa. Nemurovedzi wake uye murayiridzi, Ray Reardon, mukwikwidzi wenyika wenguva nhanhatu, akahwina mukombe wake wechipiri wenyika muna 2004, achikunda Graeme Dott 188 mufainari, 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. Munguva ye2005 World Championship, akaveura musoro wake pakati pemutambo uye akaratidzira izvo The Independent yakadana kuparara kwepfungwa kweveruzhinji apo ichirasikirwa ne11 yemafuremu ekupedzisira gumi nemana 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. 