O'Sullivan began the 2001–02 season by trying to defend his Champions Cup and Scottish Masters titles. At the Champions Cup, he was eliminated in the group stages: defeating Jimmy White before losing to Ken Doherty and Peter Ebdon. At the Scottish Masters, he was defeated 6–9 by John Higgins in the final. O'Sullivan then reached the semi-finals of the British Open, losing to Graeme Dott 4–6. At the LG Cup, O'Sullivan compiled his fifth maximum break in competitive play in six minutes and 36 seconds on the way to a 5–1 defeat of Drew Henry in the last 16. This was the second fastest ever recorded behind his own at the 1997 World Championship. O'Sullivan then lost in the next round, falling 4–5 to Ebdon in the quarter-finals. O'Sullivan reached the quarter-finals of the European Open, before losing 4–5 to Stephen Hendry.