Ronnie O’Sullivan said he “deserved to lose” in the World Snooker Championship last eight and suggested his time at top might have come to an end.

The five-time champion

lost 13-9 to Stuart Bingham,

who won five out of six frames in Wednesday’s final session.

The former world number one has won 27 ranking events, including five UK crowns and five Masters titles.

“I’ve had 20 years at the top – eventually there has to be a changing of the guard,” said the 39-year-old.

“I was way off the pace. He just pushed me around and I felt second best all match.”

O’Sullivan was clear favourite to progress at the expense of Bingham, but missed opportunities he would usually have taken against the 38-year-old fellow Englishman.

“You can’t start looking for form these days. I made so many unforced errors,” added O’Sullivan, who is nicknamed “The Rocket” because of his playing style.

“Before you might have got away with it, but now you get punished by all the players.

“If you don’t play the minor tournaments, you are going to get left behind. I am not prepared to play in the minor events either though.

Asked how he would react after the defeat, O’Sullivan – runner-up to Mark Selby at the said: “Hopefully I’ll be gutted and hurt.

“I’ll go for a run in the morning and sparring in the afternoon. Life has to go on and will go on.”