'I'll be Ronnie OAP Sullivan' – Vintage Rocket targets top eight with pension after reclaiming snooker top spot
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ByEurosport
Updated 01/04/2022 at 07:45 GMT
Ronnie O'Sullivan produced one of the finest displays of his 30-year career in an epic 10-9 win over old foe Mark Williams in the Tour Championship quarter-finals. The Rocket hit five century breaks to secure a semi-final duel with Neil Robertson on Friday in Llandudno. O'Sullivan will be confirmed as the new world No. 1 after the event win or lose, but has no plans to slow down at the age of 46.
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Ronnie O'Sullivan admits he is proud of reclaiming snooker's coveted world No. 1 position at the age of 46, but will settle for a top eight spot when he's 64.
O'Sullivan produced one of the finest displays of his 30-year career in a 10-9 win over old foe Mark Williams in a epic Tour Championship quarter-final that saw him hit breaks of 56, 84, 131, 128, 89, 100, 75, 106 and 127 to hold off a rejuvenated Williams by the slimmest of margins.
O'Sullivan will face Masters holder Neil Robertson – who also compiled five centuries in a 10-6 win over Mark Allen – in the last four in Llandudno on Friday as he chases the £150,000 first prize ahead of the 46th World Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield next month (16 April-2 May LIVE on Eurosport).
O'Sullivan or World No 8 Williams – with 62 ranking titles between them – are showing no signs of slowing down, 30 years after turning professional in 1992 with the rankings rewarding consistency over a sustained period time. Their pristine levels of play bring new meaning to the term 'golden generation' on the old green baize.
“It is probably the best he has ever played against me and the best I’ve ever played against him. For us to both play well together is quite rare,” said O'Sullivan.
Fred Davis – the eight-time world champion between 1948-1956 and younger brother of 15-time winner Joe Davis – did not seek a free pass when he collected his bus pass.
Fred was famously ranked inside the top 16 aged 67 in 1982 and made his final Crucible appearance at 70 when he lost 10-4 to Bill Werbeniuk in the 1984 World Championship first round before defeating Werbeniuk 9-7 in the first round of the 1985 UK Championship.
O'Sullivan's fellow six-time world champion Ray Reardon held the game's top spot at the age of 50 in 1983 with the Rocket remarkably first scaling the summit in 2002, a year after he lifted his first world title.
"It is a bit like when I won the world title (in 2013) after taking a year out, said O'Sullivan, speaking to ITV and World Snooker Tour media. "I was a bit shocked I was able to do that and I was a bit surprised I was able to get to No 1 at this stage of my career.
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Like I said, I want to be the first old age pensioner to be in the top eight. That would be some feat.
"The day that I play snooker for money is the day that I won't play so while everything is good off the table, I can just come here, enjoy it and have fun. Win, great, lose, not such a big deal.
"I just like to spend time as much time as I can away from home at a tournament with my mates and have a laugh. It is like a holiday for me. It's a great life."
Latest Tour Championship results
Quarter-finals
Monday, March 28
- Zhao Xintong [1] 9-10 John Higgins [8]
Tuesday, March 29
- Neil Robertson [2] 10-6 Mark Allen [7]
Wednesday, March 30
- Ronnie O'Sullivan [3] 10-9 Mark Williams [6]
Thursday, March 31
- Judd Trump [4] v Luca Brecel [5]
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