English Open 2021 - 'I'd rather be docked a frame' - Ronnie O'Sullivan on being mentally prepared for matches

Updated 03/11/2021 at 18:34 GMT

"I'd rather be 1-0 down but I've had a really good day and go 'let's play!' I fancy my chances better when I'm in a good frame of mind." Ronnie O'Sullivan was speaking after his 4-1 victory over Michael Georgiou at the English Open, admitting he would rather not start matches when not fully mentally engaged. Stream the English Open live and on demand on discovery+.

'If I've been waiting, I won't want to play' - O'Sullivan on mental state before matches

Ronnie O’Sullivan has revealed that it can be difficult to get in the correct frame of mind with the unpredictable times of his matches at tournaments.

The Rocket put in another blistering performance in his English Open second round victory over Michael Georgiou, rattling off three centuries in a row to claim a 4-1 win.

However, the match was not without its issues for the 2017 winner who lost the first frame having made a number of uncharacteristic errors.

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O'Sullivan was provisionally scheduled to start his match at 3pm however, had to wait for the conclusion of the Shaun Murphy and Joe O'Connor match beforehand.

Speaking afterwards, O’Sullivan told Eurosport’s Rachel Casey not knowing exactly when he will be playing impacts his mental preparation for matches.

“I felt nervous at the start,” the six-time world champion admitted. “I was over having something to eat and it was like 4-2 (between Murphy and O'Connor) and I just had to rush over.

“I had seven minutes to get ready and come in and was obviously a bit rushed and stuff like that.”

'Very unusual' - O'Sullivan makes uncharacteristically bad break

A back and forth first frame went the way of Georgiou as O’Sullivan struggled to find his grove, breaking poorly and inexplicably missing a black off it’s spot to hand his rival the initiative.

“No excuses, but just the frame of mind, I just kept trying to settle, settle, settle, because it's just a matter of time to get used to chilling out and relaxing to then going, 'you know what, I've really got to be focused'.

“I feel like I'm cueing alright so I know that there is some good snooker in there but you still need to be ready mentally.”

O’Sullivan also admitted he’d rather take a punishment in order to make sure he is fully prepared rather than start matches in the wrong mental state.

“I'd rather be docked a frame and to be enjoying my day and be late than sit around thinking I might be on it 2, But you end up getting up at 4:30, because if I go on and I've been waiting around for two and a half hours longer than I thought, I'm not going to want to play for one instance and then I'm not going to be in a good frame of mind.

“So I'd rather be 1-0 down but I've had a really good day and go 'let's play!' I fancy my chances better when I'm in a good frame of mind.

“So again, I talk about psychology, you have to play tricks on yourself just to keep yourself in a good frame of mind.”

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