Ronnie O'Sullivan: Genius of the baize
Every now and again a player comes along who we might see once in a generation. 'The Rocket' has turned ambidextrousness into an art form...
The most decorated Triple-Crown winner in the history of the game and fans' favourite makes him oh so special, yet Ronnie O'Sullivan, like other legendary sportspeople of a generation, seeks ultimate perfection.
A flawed genius who reads about Joe Davis - a player who dominated the game from the 1920s to the 1950s - learning about refining his cue action, and studying parallel and horizontal lines.
He has compared himself to Roger Federer, Tiger Woods, Lionel Messi, Novak Djokovic, Diego Maradona, Phil Taylor and even Prince William in the past.
Speaking in 2010, he said: "Some people are born to do things. Maradona was born to play football, Phil Taylor was born to play darts. I'm not sure there's any other sportsman I've seen who looked that way."
O'Sullivan is from the class of '92, coming through the ranks alongside Mark Williams and John Higgins - all multiple world champions. But his upbringing was tough. His father, Ronnie Snr, served 18 years for murder in 1992 before his release in 2010, while his mother also served a prison sentence for tax evasion in 1996.
Ronnie always knew he would take up snooker professionally ever since he began playing at the age of seven. He made his first century break at the age of 10, won his first pro-am at 12, and he claimed the world U21 championship at 15. From there, it was clear O'Sullivan was destined for greatness as he turned professional at the age of 16.
In 1993, he became the youngest-ever winner of the UK Championship (and any ranking event) aged just 17 years and 51 weeks when he beat Stephen Hendry.
A year after winning the British Open, aged 19 years and 69 days, he became the youngest winner of the Masters when he defeated fellow teenager John Higgins 9-3 in the final.
O'Sullivan reached the last eight of the World Championship in 1995 before losing to Hendry but he then went on to reach three world semi-finals in four years.
And then in 1997, regarded as the greatest break in the sport's history, O'Sullivan compiled the fastest 147 on record in just five minutes, 20 seconds during his world championship victory over Mick Price in the first round. None - even 'The Rocket' himself - has come close to 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," he said.
The Essex star landed his first world championship title - beating John Higgins 18-14 in 2001 and he defeated Graeme Dott 18-8 to add his second with legend Ray Reardon acting as his coach and mentor.
During the mid-2000s and despite battling clinical depression, he continued to play the game he loves. He won the 2005 Masters 10 years after capturing his first title at Wembley when he proved too good for John Higgins.
It took a little while before O'Sullivan was back on top, showing his compassionate side when he consoled teenager Ding Junhui when he won his first big tournament for 22 months at the 2007 Masters with a 10-3 pasting.
In 2008 he celebrated a record-breaking ninth 147 maximum break against Mark Williams before going on to capture his third Crucible crown by defeating Ali Carter 18-8 in the final.
"The most important thing, the biggest love of my life, is my snooker. I’ve never been so emotionally ingrained in something – in a person, an object, anything – as I have in snooker."
After personal problems, Ronnie began working with psychiatrist Steve Peters and he soon returned to the baize in blistering fashion in 2012 where he beat old foe Carter once again - this time securing an 18-11 win in Sheffield.
He then inexplicably took a 12-month sabbatical from the sport. When he came back, it was as if he had never been away. O'Sullivan sensationally retained his title with an 18-12 win over Barry Hawkins where he celebrated with his son, Ronnie Jr.
He made a strong start to 2014, securing his fifth Masters title with a 10-4 victory over Mark Selby but he missed out on a sixth Worlds, throwing away a five-frame lead in an 18-14 defeat against the same opponent.
"Everything I did, he had an answer for. I can't have it all my own way all the time. I've had some great victories here but losing is part of the sport. I will have to go away and lick my wounds and come back and go one better next time," O'Sullivan said.
Despite breaking his ankle while running, 'The Rocket' still took part at the 2014 UK Championship, where he beat Judd Trump 10-9 in a thrilling final to claim his fifth title to earn £150,000, to go with the £44,000 he pocketed for his 147 break against Matt Selt.
He went on to seal a record-equalling sixth Masters title at Alexandra Palace in January 2016. After defeating Mark Williams, Selby and Stuart Bingham, he won the tournament crown with a 10-1 demolition of Hawkins which equalled Hendry's record for the most Masters wins.
The Paul Hunter trophy was back in his hands when O'Sullivan won the Masters for a record seventh time in 2017, beating Joe Perry 10-7 in the final.
He soon equalled Steve Davis' record six UK Championships after putting on a sublime display to defeat Shaun Murphy 10-5 in the final. That also took him level with Hendry on 18 Triple Crown titles.
A year later and he made history at the UK Championship by defeating Mark Allen 10-6 to claim two significant records. O'Sullivan became the most successful player in the history of the UK Championship with seven titles and Triple Crown events with 19 victories.
In 2019, the Essex cueman potted his way to a landmark 1000th century at the Players Championship. A milestone he reached in frame 14, which was the frame he needed to win the title as he defeated Neil Robertson.
He also returned to world No 1 for the first time since May 2010.
And then on August 16, 2020 O'Sullivan became world champion for the sixth time at the age of 44.
He cruised past Kyren Wilson 18-8 in the final. He had won world titles in three different decades!
Two years later he underlined his status as one of Britain's greatest-ever sportspeople by sealing his seventh world championship title with an 18-13 win over Judd Trump to equal Hendry's record in the modern era.
At 46 he became the oldest world champion in Crucible history, eclipsing Ray Reardon, who won his sixth title aged 45 in 1978.
"I've never bothered about records," he said. "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."
He became the oldest-ever UK champion with a 10-7 victory over Ding in 2023 as he claimed a record-extending eighth title - his 22nd Triple Crown title and 40th ranking 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 all right and I will keep on going until the wheels fall off."
Despite a third World Grand Prix title in 2024, O'Sullivan was mainly absent and had not played at a ranking event since November, when he smashed up his cue out of frustration when he was beaten by Hawkins, before dropping out of the Championship League in January.
He also missed a string of tournaments this year on "medical grounds".
It was unclear whether O'Sullivan would play at The Crucible this year, leaving his decision to the very last minute.
"If I start looking at that trophy for meaning and the history that's in it, I'd probably freeze. I think my greatest asset is that I can look like I'm in a practice match down at the club when I'm playing at the Crucible."
The Controversies
With greatness comes the other side of O'Sullivan's mindset - dissent against the game and more notably, snooker's hierarchy.
Controversies surrounding O'Sullivan have followed him since 1996 when, aged 20, he was banned and fined for assaulting a press officer. He admitted his involvement in the incident and was given a two-year suspended ban and a £30,000 fine, but was allowed to continue competing in the event.
This was the second incident of the year, after O'Sullivan played left-handed against Alain Robidoux, with the Canadian refusing to shake hands with his opponent after the match.
In York 2006, he was down 4-1 in frames but leading 24-0 in the sixth frame when he inexplicably decided to concede the quarter-final clash against great rival Hendry. He shook hands with a stunned Scot and equally bewildered Dutch referee Jan Verhaas.
Upon reflection, O’Sullivan said: "I just wasn't in the mood to play snooker so I walked out and that was that."
His actions went directly against the rules of world snooker and the confused spectators were offered tickets for the semi-final between John Higgins and Peter Ebdon.
Two years later, during the press conference immediately after his exit from the tournament in Beijing, O'Sullivan was caught on camera making a series of inappropriate comments.
The comments were made as the questions and his answers were being translated. O'Sullivan later claimed he was unaware the cameras were rolling and the microphones were turned on. In response, he was made to forfeit his appearance money and ranking points from the event.
At the World Open in Glasgow in 2010, O'Sullivan was on the verge of a 147 break, but he refused to pot the black, because there was no additional cash for a maximum break.
He had left himself in a great position on the final black, and had already shaken the opponent's hand and headed for the dressing room, before the referee stepped in. During a break of over a minute, the referee managed to talk the then 34-year-old into potting the black in front of the Scottish crowd.
Ronnie was on his way to a 4-2 lead against debutant Craig Steadman at the 2015 Worlds when he complained his shoes were hurting him, and promptly removed them.
O'Sullivan then continued before being told that he was in breach of the Crucible dress code and required to find new shoes to continue. Tournament director Mike Ganley donated his shoes and the match continued.
At the Welsh Open in 2016, after potting 14 reds and 13 blacks against Barry Pinches, O'Sullivan deliberately gave up his shot at a maximum break by drifting up for the pink instead. Afterwards he called the £10,000 on offer "too cheap" for a 147.
Snooker chief Barry Hearn responded furiously, calling O'Sullivan's display "unacceptable" and "disrespectful".
At the 2020 Championship League, he slammed conditions at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes because he had to self-isolate surviving on cornflakes in a hotel room after undergoing a Covid-19 swab test before playing in the event.
"Got to be off me head coming here, haven't I? I've been sat in my room for 24 hours," said O'Sullivan. "I done 16 hours in a cell once, and it was better cause I got to choose my own food."
The outspoken O'Sullivan was back at it at the Worlds that year by saying the standard of players coming through was not that good really and that he'd probably have to "lose an arm and a leg to fall outside the top 50 in the world".
He then deployed scattergun tactics by smashing balls around the table during his semi-final against Selby. He eventually pulled through to win en route to the title.
There was further shenanigans at the 2024 Players Championship in Telford where he suffered a 6-0 defeat to Selby in the quarter-finals.
He was trailing when he tried to avoid a foul by scattering a cluster of balls with many people taking to social media to criticise O'Sullivan for his perceived lack of effort.
O'Sullivan hasn't been seen on the baize since he broke his cue at the Championship League in January.
The 49-year-old pulled out of the Masters before his first-round clash against John Higgins and question marks remained on whether the world No 5 would return in time for his bid at a record eighth world title in Sheffield.
He was drawn to face former practice partner Carter in the first round and he 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 last year's Masters final.
O'Sullivan said his opponent was "not a nice person" during an expletive-laden rant following his 10-7 victory in that match after Carter accused him of "snotting all over the floor".
Carter beat O'Sullivan in the second round of the same tournament in 2018 when they were involved in a "shoulder barge" incident.
'The Captain' called out O'Sullivan's behaviour during the match, admitting that his bitter rival "looked like he wanted to kill" him. Despite practising together growing up, Carter and O'Sullivan have been on frosty terms ever since.
Ronnie confirmed his participation at this year's Worlds, saying: "I'm proud to continue my record of having never missed a World Championship. I have many fond memories at The Crucible and look forward to making more in 2025.
"I've enjoyed some good prep with my (new!) cue over the last week, so feel good ahead of Tuesday."
O'Sullivan also thanked fellow seed and former runner-up Hawkins for hauling him up to Sheffield to give it another shot.
"I was a bit bored a month ago so I got my cue out of my case and I thought, 'just practice'.
"Obviously I got to this tournament and Barry gave me a little bit of support. I had a couple of practice sessions with Barry and he gave me a good hiding, which I expected. But Barry told me, you're not playing as bad as you think you are."
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