'He is the number one draw in the world' – Barry Hearn backs Ronnie O'Sullivan to illuminate English Open snooker
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ByEurosport
Updated 12/12/2022 at 12:12 GMT
Barry Hearn insists fellow Essex sporting favourite Ronnie O'Sullivan remains the biggest draw in snooker as the world champion prepares to play before his home fans when the English Open begins on Monday at the Brentwood Centre. O'Sullivan is in action against Belgian teenager Ben Mertens at the final major event of the year. Stream top snooker action live on discovery+ and eurosport.co.uk
The Breakdown episode 8: Barry Hearn
Barry Hearn admits he will be visiting the English Open to watch world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan thrill a raucous home crowd at the Brentwood Centre in Essex.
The former World Snooker Tour chairman is dabbling with retirement after standing down from his official duties in the sport last year, but is still "sticking my nose in" because he misses the daily work routine.
Hearn, the honorary president of Matchroom, the sports promotions company he founded 40 years ago, lives in Brentwood after rising to fame in the 1980s as manager of the six-time world champion Steve Davis.
While the iconic Davis, from Romford in Essex, has retired from playing the sport he dominated, Hearn is delighted snooker GOAT O'Sullivan continues to maintain a real hunger for the sport – 30 years after turning professional in 1992.
The world No. 1 begins his campaign against Belgian teenager Ben Mertens live on Eurosport on Monday night.
Hearn has managed O'Sullivan twice in the past and has endured several colourful verbal jousts with the Rocket, but amusingly states that "Essex is big enough for the both of us".
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“It’s a triumphant homecoming for Ronnie as world No. 1 and reigning world champion," said Hearn. "Look, Ronnie is who he is – he plays when he wants, as the chant goes. But I am pleased to see him playing quite a lot right now because he is a legend, and legends don’t last forever so we want to see him as much as we can.
“He is the No. 1 draw in the world still and gives ticket sales a big boost, no question. And I think Essex is big enough for the both of us – I am getting a lot softer and more mellow anyway."
Hearn is delighted a first major ranking event will be staged in Essex with O'Sullivan hailing from nearby Chigwell.
“It all started for us in Essex with the Ginger Magician himself, Steve Davis," said Hearn in an interview with The Sportsman. "I started myself in snooker in 1973 or 1974. So the sport does have real history in the county, with Davis coming through in the late 70s to dominate the sport in the 1980s. The Nugget, the Romford Robot some called him.
"And I am probably the archetypal Essex boy from the 1980s, with Margaret Thatcher and all that.
“I shall definitely go and watch. In fact, it is embarrassing to say I will probably go more to this than to this season’s World Championship in Sheffield. I moved to Brentwood in 1982 and after the kids left home Mascalls became the head office.
"It has been a dream house and I could never, ever sell it. Too much has happened here."
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