Ronnie O’Sullivan unfazed by who he faces on the table at UK Championship - 'I could not give a monkey’s'
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Published 18/11/2022 at 13:32 GMT
Snooker may no longer be the driving force in Ronnie O'Sullivan's life, and the current world champion has said he is not fussed who he faces on the table. He has also said he continues to practice for that moment when he finds the perfect stroke and shot. That is what drives him on rather than winning. Stream the 2022 UK Championship and more top snooker action live and on-demand on discovery+.
'At the moment my bad is better than everyone else’s bad' - O’Sullivan
Ronnie O’Sullivan has said he is so detached from snooker that he does not care who he faces on the table.
The 46-year-old won the World Championship for a seventh time earlier in the year, and has started the current season in good form with wins at the Hong Kong Masters and Champion of Champions.
But while he appeared driven to succeed at the Crucible, with a film crew following his every move, he has looked to be lacking in motivation in the early weeks of the current season despite his impressive run of results.
O’Sullivan eased his way into the quarter-finals of the UK Championship, where he faces Ding Junhui.
The Rocket has an excellent record against Ding, but is not fussed by whoever he is drawn to face.
"I don’t care who I play to be honest with you,” O’Sullivan told Eurosport. “I could not give a monkey’s.
“Give me the 170th player in the world off Q School, Challenge School, whatever it is. Bring him along, if he pumps me 4-0 I will say ‘sweet mate, well done.’
“Honestly, I don't give a monkey’s. I wish I did, but I don't.”
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Watch as O'Sullivan races to stunning century against Zhou at UK Championship
Despite the suggestion from O’Sullivan that snooker is no longer the driving force in his life, he is still putting in the work on the practice table.
He says that is not to get him in a winning frame of mind, it is for the eureka moment of hitting the perfect shot.
“I am practising to feel good, to start striking the ball well,” O’Sullivan said. “That is all I play for, not for any other reason.
“Winning, playing bad, you can keep that. I am not interested. I will keep persevering as when it does come good, it is eureka. There is no better feeling.
“I am more focused on doing stuff away from the table, work-wise, and it allows me to come here and have a bit of fun and enjoy it, good, bad it does not matter.”
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Stream the 2022 UK Championship and more top snooker action live and on-demand 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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