Snooker News
Sports Journalist @RazMirza
He is the most decorated snooker player in the history of the game and fans' favourite, yet Ronnie O'Sullivan, like other legendary sportspeople, seeks ultimate perfection.
A flawed genius who often cites Joe Davis - a player who set the standard from the 1920s to the 1950s - as a major influence on his game, learning about refining his cue action, and studying parallel and horizontal lines.
At the age of 50, O'Sullivan is set for a record-extending 34th straight appearance in the 50th World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre from April 18-May 4 with a record-breaking eighth title in his sights.
The Essex potter 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 Sr, served 18 years for murder in 1992 before his release in 2010, while his mother, Maria, also served a prison sentence for tax evasion in 1996.
O'Sullivan always knew he would take up the game 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 claimed the World U21 Championship at 15. From there, it was clear he was destined for greatness and he turned professional at the age of 16.
In 1993, he became the youngest winner of the UK Championship (and any ranking event) aged just 17 years and 51 weeks and 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 Higgins.
In 1997, regarded as the greatest moments in sporting history, O'Sullivan compiled the fastest 147 break on record in just five minutes and eight seconds during his World Championship victory over Mick Price in the first round. Nobody - 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," said O'Sullivan, who has made 17 maximum breaks in his career, including a new record break of 153 at the World Open in March.
O'Sullivan landed his first world title when he beat Higgins 18-14 in 2001 and soon added his second with legendary Ray Reardon, nicknamed 'Dracula', acting as his coach and mentor in 2004.
During the mid-2000s and despite battling clinical depression, O'Sullivan continued to play the game he loves. He won the 2005 Masters - 10 years after capturing his first title at Wembley.
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 drubbing.
In 2008 he captured his third Crucible crown by defeating Ali Carter 18-8 in the final.
After personal problems, O'Sullivan began working with psychiatrist Steve Peters and soon returned to the baize in blistering fashion in 2012 when 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, but when he came back it was as if he had never been away. O'Sullivan sensationally retained his title in Sheffield.
He made a strong start to 2014, securing his fifth Masters title against Mark Selby but he missed out on a sixth world title against the same opponent.
Despite breaking his ankle when running, 'The Rocket' still took part at the UK Championship, where he beat Judd Trump 10-9 in a thrilling final to claim his fifth title before going on to seal a record-equalling sixth Masters title at Alexandra Palace in January 2016.
The Paul Hunter Trophy was back in his hands when O'Sullivan won the Masters for a record seventh time in 2017, and he equalled Steve Davis' record six UK Championships after putting on a sublime display to defeat Shaun Murphy. That also took him level with Stephen Hendry on 18 Triple Crown titles.
A year later and O'Sullivan made history at the UK Championship by defeating Mark Allen 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 1,000th 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 in the final, meaning 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 Trump to equal Hendry's record in the modern era.
At 46 he became the oldest world champion in Crucible history, eclipsing Welshman 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 claimed a record-extending eighth UK title in 2023 - 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 alright and I will keep on going until the wheels fall off."
It was unclear whether O'Sullivan would play at The Crucible in 2025 after missing a string of tournaments on medical grounds but when he did decide to play, the Englishman suffered a knockout blow to his hopes of a record eighth world title after losing 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 shown some sparkling form at times, hitting two maximum breaks in the semi-finals of the Saudi Arabia Masters and making the highest break in professional snooker with a magnificent 153 at the World Open in China.
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.
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."
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 already shaken the opponent's hand and headed for the dressing room before the referee stepped in and talked the-then 34-year-old into potting the black in front of the Scottish crowd.
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."
He also courted controversy by blasting young players when asked about why the older generation could still win the big 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 are still hovering around, because of how poor it is down that end."
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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 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 BinghamRocky 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 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.
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 in the World Championship 10 days ago because I was too scared," he said prior to the World Open. "I felt like I would embarrass myself. But now I feel I probably will go, because I feel like I might pot a few balls. It's not great, I'm not in a great, great place with it, but I'm better than I was maybe two weeks ago."
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