Heading into the snooker history books, Ronnie O’Sullivan is full of confidence.
“I’m ready, I’m fresh and I’m looking forward to it,” said the 47-year-old Englishman before the start of the World Cup in Sheffield on “Eurosport”. O’Sullivan likens his quest for the historic eighth title at the Crucible Theatre, which begins Saturday (11am/Eurosport), to climbing a summit.
“You go up the mountain, then it goes back down, then it goes back up, and then it goes back down. You can’t always be at the top,” O’Sullivan said.
Most recently, he had won his sixth and seventh world title in 2020 and 2022. If he succeeds in the next title feat on May 1, 2023, he would pass Scotsman Stephen Hendry. According to snooker expert Rolf Kalb, this would also answer the question of the best player in history.
“The eighth title would be a really big thing. He always says he doesn’t care. I don’t believe him. He knows what it’s about. He knows that he would finally silence everyone,” said Kalb German press agency. The two Englishmen Judd Trump and Mark Selby are considered the toughest opponents.
Another win would cement O’Sullivan’s status as “the greatest player of all time,” added Kalb. In Joe Davis (15 world titles), Fred Davis and John Pulman there are three players who have also won the most important tournament in the world at least eight times. However, before 1960 the trio was successful. In modern snooker, Hendry and O’Sullivan are considered the most successful professionals.