Seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan, despite his pursuit of an eighth Crucible title, humbly refrains from labeling himself as the greatest snooker player of all time.
O’Sullivan, at 48, kicks off his first-round match against 22-year-old Welsh qualifier Jackson Page on Wednesday at 14:30 BST, followed by the second session on Thursday afternoon.
Securing another world title would place O’Sullivan ahead of Stephen Hendry’s seven Crucible triumphs in the 1990s. Additionally, O’Sullivan has already claimed victory in the other two events of snooker’s Triple Crown this season – the UK Championship and the Masters – marking the eighth time he has seized each trophy, a feat unmatched by any other player.
In response to whether he deems himself the best ever, O’Sullivan responded modestly, stating, “I don’t regard myself as the greatest. I’m one of them, maybe. You’ve got Hendry, Davis, and my hat’s in the ring with them. I’ve had a different career to them.”
Reflecting on his career trajectory, O’Sullivan acknowledged the diversions he faced, remarking, “I’ve had to go on longer to get what I’ve got. I was a bit all over the show at times with stuff going on off the table and that can affect how you perform on it.”
O’Sullivan clinched his inaugural world title at 25 in 2001, adding to his tally in 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020, and 2022, the latter marking his achievement as the oldest world champion at 46. Despite these accolades, he emphasizes the complexities of attaining success at the highest level.
While his younger self aspired to be among the elite, O’Sullivan revealed, “As a kid I would have been desperate to be up there with those guys. But when you get there you see it as a bit of an anti-climax and it’s not as great as you thought it would be.”
With a record eight wins in the non-ranking Masters and 41 ranking titles in his 32-year professional career, O’Sullivan maintains a prominent position in snooker’s history. His three-year ambassadorial deal with the World Snooker Tour (WST) and Riyadh Season further solidifies his commitment to the sport.
Looking ahead, O’Sullivan contemplates his future in the game, expressing, “Someone’s going to have to do phenomenally well to get my records.” Despite his contentment with his achievements, he remains driven to secure further victories, stating, “I’m pretty cool with what I’ve done, but I’d like to win more though.”