Ronnie O’Sullivan has set himself on a path to record world championship success and a perfect retirement. An eighth world title, leapfrogging Stephen Hendry, would be the best possible way for snooker’s biggest star to leave the sport.
O’Sullivan played what he says was the best snooker of his life at last week’s World Cup. That alone should turn the snooker community upside down that the world number one is finally enjoying himself on tour.
Amazing win over Judd Trump on Saturday where O’Sullivan crushed it. He lost 4–0 and 6–3 at different times before fighting back to win 10–7 at Leicester.
But his 6-1 thrashing of Ding Junhui in the semi-finals was rocketry at its best.
Third title in 50 days after winning the British Championship and Masters in December and early January. O’Sullivan is the main waltz at The Crucible as this year’s favorite to win the world title.
O’Sullivan, unbeaten on British soil since October, claims World Cup runner-up Trump will win in May. But it just seems like an attempt to relieve yourself of the pressure.
The Rocket admitted that the 17 day WC can often be too strenuous. He recently told Overlap that he went into “survival mode” and was like “Iron Man” during his latest victory, defeating Trump in the 2022 final.
O’Sullivan, who wears trainers at the table to ease sore leg space , raised concerns about his future by admitting that he no longer cares whether he wins or loses. The decision to win three titles in 50 days goes against that feeling somewhat, but the seven-time world champion admitted that he is “distracted with himself”.
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