Ronnie O'Sullivan faces Blunt truth that sixth title could be his greatest hit
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2015/04/22/1462335-31243733-310-310.jpg)
Updated 22/04/2017 at 16:43 GMT
Ronnie O'Sullivan's imperious 13-7 win over Shaun Murphy in the World Championship last 16 proves he remains snooker's headline act despite claiming aftewards he is more James Blunt than the Rolling Stones, writes Desmond Kane.
Ronnie O'Sullivan and James Blunt
Image credit: Eurosport
The Rocket Man is putting the band back together.
It has always been said that Ronnie O’Sullivan is as close to rock and roll as the somewhat sheltered sport of snooker can possibly muster.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2017/04/22/2067642-43348047-2560-1440.jpg)
O'Sullivan: It's tough to hold it together mentally over three days
Despite being a choir boy in comparison to 1980s hellraiser Alex ‘Hurricane’ Higgins, a Northern Irishman who smoked, snorted, drank and punched his way into an early grave at the age of 61, O’Sullivan brings a similar sense of devilment, delight and a slightly infamous back catalogue to the green baize.
His best historical works include five world titles, seven Masters and five UK Championships amid a rampaging list of fines and battles with any form of officialdom that is sent to try him.
These include assaulting a tournament official a year before he made the fastest televised maximum of five minutes and 20 seconds two decades ago, plodding referees in white gloves, errant photographers snapping on the shot and his old mucker Barry Hearn, the World Snooker chairman he accused of “bullying” tactics a day after this 40th staging of the Crucible event broke off.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2017/04/22/2067593-43347067-2560-1440.jpg)
Ronnie O’Sullivan books his spot in quarter-finals
None of the hoary old sideshow matters when O’Sullivan has his head down focused on the business of what he does best. If there are any concerns about the Chigwell chap's ability to win this event for a sixth time it was dispelled in a quite impeccable 13-7 dismissal of Shaun Murphy in the last 16.
“Bands do world tours and it is all very nice for them because there is no pressure on him,” said O’Sullivan in summing up a tour of the Crucible that will next take in a quarter-final with Ding Junhui or Liang Wenbo on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“I just need to be a supporting act. I don’t mind letting the other guys write the good albums.
“I don’t mind being invited along, bring him out for half an hour, here he is still alive, still can perform...“
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2017/04/20/2066734-43329887-2560-1440.jpg)
Ronnie O’Sullivan makes majestic century… until the final shot
Murphy was champion here in 2005 and a losing finalist in 2009 and 2015, but was made to look like an outsider by the opulence of O’Sullivan’s output.
Murphy looked as crestfallen as Job in defeat, but feels O’Sullivan has every chance of carrying off this event.
“If he plays the rest of the tournament with that level of determination and focus, I think he will win. Not that he can win, he will win,” said Murphy.
He is still the benchmark by which we all measure ourselves. If he turns up for his next game with that level of focus, whoever he plays is in trouble.
O'Sullivan is into the quarter-finals for an 18th time since first appearing here in 1995. He is approaching peak levels of form after putting in the hard yards on the practice table.
It is apt that O’Sullivan is mates with the Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood because like the Stones, he is a headline act even if in self-effacing style he thinks he is more suited to the supporting cast.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2017/04/22/2067612-43347447-2560-1440.jpg)
Ronnie O'Sullivan
Image credit: Getty Images
“I don’t mind letting others write the other good albums," he said. "I don’t see the need to write a great album any more.
The Rolling Stones was a big act, they don’t support anybody. I’m maybe a bit like James Blunt.
O’Sullivan moved like Jagger against Murphy, carrying a jagged edge to his play that suggests there could be an update to his greatest hits album to go with his big number one years of 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2013.
He resumed holding a 10-6 lead, and finished off the business at hand with 67, 52, 111 and 55 accompanying runs of 91, 75, 128, 76, 74, 63 and 75 in winning the other 10 frames.
“I have a responsibility to play to a certain level. Okay, I’ve haven’t had the greatest of seasons. And I haven’t written a great album this year, but it hasn’t been a bad year," he said, apparently choosing to omit winning the Masters for a record seventh time.
If I was to win it, it would be a great feeling. But I’ve had that five times. I get great delight playing at the club and playing exhibitions.
“I just feel lucky enough to play snooker, and privileged not to have to get on the central line into London to a 9-5 job. That’s how I feel about it.”
O'Sullivan could face the ultimate test of his muscle with a best-of-33 frames semi-final against world champion Mark Selby gathering a sense of inevitablility three years after he lost 18-14 in the final to Selby having led 10-5.
At the age of 41, there are plenty in Sheffield and millions around the globe who want the mellifluous O'Sullivan to dust down the old hits here. Play that song.
But first things first: somebody is going to have to break the news to James Blunt that he is not a headline act.
Desmond Kane at the Crucible Theatre
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement