Ronnie O'Sullivan on why this year's UK Championship is 'even more special' - 'Crème de la crème starting from the off'
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Published 25/11/2023 at 15:57 GMT
Ronnie O'Sullivan thinks this year's UK Championship has an "even more special" feel to it than usual. The Triple Crown event kicked off on Saturday inside the Barbican in York with a repeat of last year's final between Mark Allen and Ding Junhui. With just 32 players in the main draw, the Rocket said the tournament "feels like the World Championship again" ahead of his first round match.
O'Sullivan: Smaller 'creme de la creme' field makes UK Championship 'even more special'
Ronnie O’Sullivan praised the field strength ahead of the UK Championship and said the tournament feels "even more special" this year.
The main draw for the Triple Crown event features just 32 players, with only the top 16 qualifying automatically for the showdown in the Barbican in York.
Ahead of his bid for an eighth title, the Rocket said anyone is capable of adding their name to one of the sport's most iconic trophies.
“I think if you look at any of the players in the draw now, you know, if any one of them players won the tournament you wouldn't be surprised,” O’Sullivan said on Eurosport.
“So it feels a bit like the World Championship again, you know, just the 32 players here, so there's sort of the crème de la crème starting from the off which makes it feel even more of a special tournament in my opinion.”
O’Sullivan hasn’t played since losing 9-6 to Zhang Anda in the semi-finals of the International Championship.
He then pulled out of the Champion of Champions, saying he felt “a bit drained and stressed” but returns to the Barbican “refreshed and ready to start competing again.”
The Rocket is the second favourite to add another UK Championship to his roll of honour, 30 years on from his first, and faces Anthony McGill in the opening round.
Judd Trump, who won the tournament in 2011, has been the season’s standout player so far, and O’Sullivan praised the 34-year-old’s ability to win without being at his best.
“You get into the groove of winning matches, and he went on a 20-match unbeaten run, which is phenomenal in this sort of standard,” O’Sullivan added.
“He's obviously won a lot of matches where he hasn't played well and I just think that gives you a lot of confidence.
“He's in an amazing place with his game. He must be just full of confidence at the moment.”
A player still searching for his first ranking title is Jack Lisowski. The Englishman has come close on several occasions but has never been able to produce the goods when it has mattered most.
But O’Sullivan believes it’s just a matter of time until Lisowski wins, which could open the floodgates.
“It's been a shame for him [Lisowski] to not win a tournament,” O’Sullivan continued. “He’s good enough, he’s just got to sort of get it right when it comes to the business end of the tournament, in the semi-final and final.
“I'm sure that’s something he’ll want to put right and I know he works with Peter Ebdon. Peter was good in that department, and I just think once he does win one, there’s a good chance he’ll win a few more.”
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