Is Ronnie O’Sullivan peaking forward of this yr’s World Snooker Championship?
He is probably the most adorned snooker participant within the historical past of the sport and followers’ favorite, but Ronnie O’Sullivan, like different legendary sportspeople, seeks final perfection.
A flawed genius who typically cites Joe Davis – a participant who set the usual from the Nineteen Twenties to the Fifties – as a main affect on his recreation, studying about refining his cue motion, and finding out parallel and horizontal strains.
At the age of fifty, O’Sullivan is set for a record-extending thirty fourth straight look within the fiftieth World Snooker Championship on the Crucible Theatre from April 18-May 4 with a record-breaking eighth title in his sights.
O’Sullivan made his first century break on the age of 10
The Essex potter is from the category of ’92, coming by means of the ranks alongside Mark Williams and John Higgins – all a number of world champions, however his upbringing was robust. His father, Ronnie Sr, served 18 years for homicide in 1992 earlier than his launch in 2010, whereas his mom, Maria, additionally served a jail sentence for tax evasion in 1996.
O’Sullivan all the time knew he would take up the sport professionally ever since he started enjoying on the age of seven. He made his first century break on the age of 10, gained his first pro-am at 12, and claimed the World U21 Championship at 15. From there, it was clear he was destined for greatness and he turned skilled on the age of 16.
In 1993, he grew to become the youngest winner of the UK Championship (and any rating occasion) aged simply 17 years and 51 weeks and a yr after successful the British Open, aged 19 years and 69 days, he grew to become the youngest winner of the Masters when he defeated fellow teenager Higgins.
In 1997, considered the best moments in sporting historical past, O’Sullivan compiled the quickest 147 break on file in simply 5 minutes and eight seconds throughout his World Championship victory over Mick Price within the first spherical. Nobody – even ‘The Rocket’ himself – has come near eclipsing it.
“It is still my favourite frame. It is the one I get asked about the most. To score a record maximum at the Crucible was an amazing thing and remains something very special,” mentioned O’Sullivan, who has made 17 most breaks in his profession, together with a new record break of 153 at the World Open in March.
First world title
The Essex cueman landed his first world title again in 2001
O’Sullivan landed his first world title when he beat Higgins 18-14 in 2001 and shortly added his second with legendary Ray Reardon, nicknamed ‘Dracula’, performing as his coach and mentor in 2004.
During the mid-2000s and regardless of battling scientific melancholy, O’Sullivan continued to play the sport he loves. He gained the 2005 Masters – 10 years after capturing his first title at Wembley.
It took a short while earlier than O’Sullivan was again on prime, displaying his compassionate facet when he consoled teenager Ding Junhui when he gained his first large match for 22 months on the 2007 Masters with a 10-3 drubbing.
In 2008 he captured his third Crucible crown by defeating Ali Carter 18-8 within the last.
After private issues, O’Sullivan started working with psychiatrist Steve Peters and shortly returned to the baize in blistering vogue in 2012 when he beat previous foe Carter as soon as once more – this time securing an 18-11 win in Sheffield.
He then inexplicably took a 12-month sabbatical from the game, however when he got here again it was as if he had by no means been away. O’Sullivan sensationally retained his title in Sheffield.
He made a sturdy begin to 2014, securing his fifth Masters title in opposition to Mark Selby however he missed out on a sixth world title in opposition to the identical opponent.
Despite breaking his ankle when working, ‘The Rocket’ nonetheless took half on the UK Championship, the place he beat Judd Trump 10-9 in a thrilling last to assert his fifth title earlier than happening to seal a record-equalling sixth Masters title at Alexandra Palace in January 2016.
The Paul Hunter Trophy was again in his arms when O’Sullivan gained the Masters for a file seventh time in 2017, and he equalled Steve Davis’ file six UK Championships after placing on a elegant show to defeat Shaun Murphy. That additionally took him stage with Stephen Hendry on 18 Triple Crown titles.
If I begin taking a look at that trophy for which means and the historical past that is in it, I’d most likely freeze. I feel my biggest asset is that I can appear to be I’m in a observe match down on the membership when I’m enjoying on the Crucible.
Ronnie O’Sullivan
Britain’s greatest-ever sportsperson?
O’Sullivan poses with the Paul Hunter Trophy alongside his youngsters Ronnie Jr and Lily
A yr later and O’Sullivan made historical past on the UK Championship by defeating Mark Allen to assert two vital information. O’Sullivan grew to become probably the most profitable participant within the historical past of the UK Championship with seven titles and Triple Crown occasions with 19 victories.
In 2019, the Essex cueman potted his approach to a landmark 1,000th century on the Players Championship. A milestone he reached in body 14, which was the body he wanted to win the title as he defeated Neil Robertson.
He additionally returned to world No 1 for the primary time since May 2010.
And then on August 16, 2020 O’Sullivan grew to become world champion for the sixth time on the age of 44. He cruised previous Kyren Wilson within the last, which means he had gained world titles in three completely different a long time!
Two years later he underlined his standing as certainly one of Britain’s greatest-ever sportspeople by sealing his seventh World Championship title with an 18-13 win over Trump to equal Hendry’s file within the fashionable period.
At 46 he grew to become the oldest world champion in Crucible historical past, eclipsing Welshman Reardon, who gained his sixth title aged 45 in 1978.
“I’ve never bothered about records,” he mentioned. “When you get them, it’s kind of nice. I don’t have targets. I’ve loved every tournament this year, I’ve just loved playing. I like to win, but it’s not the be-all and end-all. The Crucible brings out the worst in me. It’s probably not the best idea but we’ll probably go again next year.”
The most essential factor, the most important love of my life, is my snooker. I’ve by no means been so emotionally ingrained in one thing – in a individual, an object, something – as I’ve in snooker.
Ronnie O’Sullivan
He claimed a record-extending eighth UK title in 2023 – his twenty second Triple Crown title and fortieth rating title.
“I always keep beating myself up because of the age thing. I keep thinking at some point you have to stop winning but I am doing alright and I will keep on going until the wheels fall off.”
It was unclear whether or not O’Sullivan would play at The Crucible in 2025 after lacking a string of tournaments on medical grounds however when he did determine to play, the Englishman suffered a knockout blow to his hopes of a file eighth world title after dropping his semi-final 17-7 to eventual champion Zhao Xintong.
🏆 Seven-time World Champion
🏆 Eight-time UK Champion
🏆 Eight-time Masters Champion
🏆 41 Ranking Titles
⭐️ 1,320 Century Breaks
⭐️ 17 Maximum Breaks
⭐️ Highest Break: 153
⏳ Fastest Maximum Break in 5’08’’, unbeaten for 29 years
🐐 The Greatest of All Time
So far in 2026, O’Sullivan has proven some glowing kind at instances, hitting two most breaks within the semi-finals of the Saudi Arabia Masters and making the best break in skilled snooker with a magnificent 153 on the World Open in China.
The controversies
O’Sullivan has incessantly courted controversy
With greatness comes the opposite facet of O’Sullivan’s mindset – dissent in opposition to the sport and extra notably, snooker’s hierarchy.
Controversies surrounding O’Sullivan have adopted him since 1996 when, aged 20, he was banned and fined for assaulting a press officer.
This was the second incident of the yr, after O’Sullivan performed left-handed in opposition to Alain Robidoux, with the Canadian refusing to shake arms along with his opponent after the match.
In York 2006, he was down 4-1 in frames however main 24-0 within the sixth body when he inexplicably determined to concede the quarter-final conflict in opposition to great rival Hendry. He shook arms with a surprised Scot and equally bewildered Dutch referee Jan Verhaas.
Upon reflection, O’Sullivan mentioned: “I just wasn’t in the mood to play snooker so I walked out and that was that.”
His profession has been punctuated by outbursts and disputes
At the World Open in Glasgow in 2010, O’Sullivan was on the verge of a 147 break, however he refused to pot the black, as a result of there was no more money for a most break.
He had already shaken the opponent’s hand and headed for the dressing room earlier than the referee stepped in and talked the-then 34-year-old into potting the black in entrance of the Scottish crowd.
At the Welsh Open in 2016, after potting 14 reds and 13 blacks in opposition to Barry Pinches, O’Sullivan intentionally gave up his shot at a most break by drifting up for the pink as a substitute. Afterwards he known as the £10,000 on supply “too cheap” for a 147.
Snooker chief Barry Hearn responded furiously, calling O’Sullivan’s show “unacceptable” and “disrespectful”.
At the 2020 Championship League, he slammed situations on the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes as a result of he needed to self-isolate surviving on cornflakes in a resort room after present process a Covid-19 swab take a look at earlier than enjoying within the occasion.
“Got to be off me head coming here, haven’t I? I’ve been sat in my room for 24 hours,” mentioned O’Sullivan. “I done 16 hours in a cell once, and it was better ’cause I got to choose my own food.”
He additionally courted controversy by blasting younger gamers when requested about why the older technology might nonetheless win the large trophies.
“A lot of them you see now, you look at them and think, ‘I would have to lose an arm and a leg to fall out of the top 50’.
“That is why we’re nonetheless hovering round, due to how poor it is down that finish.”
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O’Sullivan is the best player ever and he has the game along with Mark Selby, Neil Robertson, John Higgins and Mark Williams to repel the charge of snooker’s youth brigade, says Stuart Bingham
Rocky relationship
O’Sullivan has endured a rocky relationship with Ali Carter
There were further shenanigans and question marks on whether he would return in time for his bid at a record eighth world title in Sheffield in 2025.
He was drawn to face former practice partner Carter in the first round and only confirmed his return to competitive action two days before the start of the tournament.
O’Sullivan and Carter have endured a rocky relationship and notably clashed following the 2024 Masters final.
O’Sullivan said his opponent was “not a good individual” during an expletive-laden rant following his 10-7 victory in that match after Carter accused him of “snotting everywhere in the ground”.
Carter beat O’Sullivan in the second round of the same tournament in 2018 when they were involved in a “shoulder barge” incident.
Carter was involved in a ‘shoulder barge’ incident with O’Sullivan
‘The Captain’ called out O’Sullivan’s behaviour during the match, admitting that his bitter rival “regarded like he wished to kill” him. Despite practising together growing up, Carter and O’Sullivan have been on frosty terms ever since.
Despite a first-round defeat at the UK Championship, and pulling out the Masters in January, O’Sullivan’s recent form has made him a top contender for the 2026 World Championship.
“I wasn’t even going to play within the World Championship 10 days in the past as a result of I used to be too scared,” he said prior to the World Open. “I felt like I might embarrass myself. But now I really feel I most likely will go, as a result of I really feel like I’d pot a few balls. It’s not great, I’m not in a great, great place with it, however I’m higher than I used to be possibly two weeks in the past.”
