Ronnie O’Sullivan says Robert Milkins reminds him of Tony Drago - ‘He’s got a really good snooker brain’

ByNigel Chiu

Published 18/02/2023 at 18:09 GMT

Seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan has revealed Robert Milkins reminds him of Tony Drago, given their flamboyant playing styles. Milkins reached the second ranking final of his career with a 6-2 victory over Tian Pengfei in the semi-finals of the Welsh Open on Saturday. Stream top snooker action, including the Welsh Open, live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.co.uk.

Ronnie O’Sullivan says Robert Milkins reminds him of flamboyant snooker player Tony Drago, after the world No. 27 reached the Welsh Open final.

Milkins beat Tian Pengfei 6-2 in a match that featured a contrast of styles, and the result means the player nicknamed The Milkman can win the bonus of £150,000, as well as the Welsh Open title, should he be victorious on Sunday.

He won the final three frames after a cagey start to the match and a brilliant deep screw shot on two reds that saw the first fly into the right centre in the penultimate frame underlined Milkins’ growing confidence.

Welsh Open

Bingham and Zhou tumble out of Welsh Open amid controversial concession calls

26/01/2024 at 23:00

“If I was sitting in my chair, I wouldn’t think he got lucky there,” O’Sullivan said in the Eurosport studio when analysing the shot.

“He’s got a really good snooker brain. He reminds me of Tony Drago. Players like him and Drago see shots like that.

“He played good, solid stuff, did enough to win. He’s got a lot of confidence, so he will fancy the job [in the final].”

'Playing the final is hard enough!' - Milkins suggests BetVictor bonus will make him more nervous

Milkins turned professional in 1995 but has only played one previous ranking final which came at last year’s Gibraltar Open, where he beat Kyren Wilson 4-2.

This month, the 46-year-old has been in great form, having reached the semi-finals of the German Masters two weeks ago.

Neal Foulds says Milkins is just a “normal guy that plays snooker, who has a gift” and thinks his triumph in Gibraltar boosted his career.

“It certainly helped him,” said Foulds. “Gibraltar was not the biggest event, but it was a ranking event, and in that final he wasn’t frightened to get over the line.

• Welsh Open 2023 – Latest scores, results, schedule, order of play
• Players Championship suffers huge blow as O’Sullivan misses out

“He beat Kyren Wilson, pinched the first frame of that match with a sensational match so he’s not overawed by the occasions. If a chance comes, he is capable of taking it.

“He’s doing a lot of things wrong. He can go out of form a little bit, even in the middle of a match, almost goes to sleep for a while, but then he rises from the slumber. All inspiration, that’s the type of player he is, a very natural type.”

- - -

Stream top snooker action including the Welsh Open, live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.co.uk

Welsh Open

Bingham concedes defeat to Fu despite still having chance of comeback

00:00:44

|

26/01/2024 at 19:52

Welsh Open

Hendry loses to Muir in Welsh Open qualifying, Wilson, Dott and Si advance

26/01/2024 at 09:44

Welsh Open

O'Sullivan handed Welsh Open clash with opponent who called him 'disrespectful'

22/12/2023 at 09:04