Neil Robertson names Ronnie O'Sullivan in his top three sporting stars, tips Zhao Xintong and Yan Bingtao to shine
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Updated 20/10/2022 at 17:57 GMT
Neil Robertson advanced to the quarter-finals of the Northern Ireland Open with a 4-0 victory over Li Hang, and following the contest told Eurosport who was in his top three sports stars of all time. The Home Nations series is back with the Northern Ireland Open and it is live and exclusive on discovery+. You can also watch Seventh Heaven, a two-part show about O’Sullivan.
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Neil Robertson ranks Ronnie O’Sullivan in his top three sports stars of all time.
Former England international Jamie Carragher’s decision to put O’Sullivan in his top three alongside Olympic champion Usain Bolt and boxer Floyd Mayweather has sparked plenty of debate.
O’Sullivan named his greatest sports stars, with Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Tiger Woods, Muhammad Ali and Ayrton Senna making the cut.
Stars of snooker have been giving their views on who are their favourite sporting stars, and Robertson stepped forward after beating Li Hang in the last 16 of the Northern Ireland Open.
He went for a legend of basketball, a sportsman from his native Australia and seven-time world champion O’Sullivan.
When asked for his top three, Robertson said: “Michael Jordan, Nathan Buckley, the captain of my Aussie Rules team. He was an absolute legend of that sport.
“I guess Ronnie would be the third. Even though he is not that much older, growing up he was always someone I idolised.
“It’s like a group, for me in snooker it was Jimmy (White), (Stephen) Hendry, Ronnie. You can add (John) Higgins, (Mark) Williams. They all had something different about them which drew me to the sport.”
O’Sullivan is still going strong at 46, as are his fellow Class of 92 stars Higgins and Williams - as well as Robertson.
With those four still playing to a high level, Robertson conceded how tough it is for the emerging stars such as Zhao Xintong and Yan Bingtao to get a foothold.
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Robertson knocks in century in second frame against Li Hang at Northern Ireland Open
“It is tough, snooker is not a sport where your age tells you when you should retire,” Robertson said. “Ronnie is world champion at 47 (sic, 46), so the young players have to wait a long time.
“I am 40 now, so the young players have to come through and dislodge us. Whereas when I was coming through, Stephen Hendry retired at 42 and he was clearly well past the player that he was.
“Back then when you got to 30 it was seen as the end was close, but it is not like that now.
“Ronnie, John, Mark Williams have shown you can keep going if you have the right mindset. Things such as eyesight or back and neck issues could affect you, but as long as you are healthy you can play as long as you want.
“If I were to pick young flagbearers, I will pick players in their 20s, I think Xintong and Bingtao, for sure. They are the two that really want it.
“With Xintong it seems to have finally clicked with him with his practice. I remember going to the academy and he was potting long balls and had his mobile phone on the side and was scrolling through, would then play a few and then back on social media. I thought he has no chance unless he sorts that out. He clearly has done.
“Bingtao is a practice machine and wants to be the best he can be, so it’s those two for me.”
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The Home Nations series is back with the Northern Ireland Open and it is live and exclusive on discovery+. You can also watch Seventh Heaven, a two-part show about Ronnie O’Sullivan’s historic World Championship win last season, on demand now
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