'I don’t buy into that at all' - Jimmy White rubbishes Ronnie O'Sullivan claim that he does not care about result
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Updated 29/04/2022 at 07:59 GMT
Ronnie O'Sullivan battled extremely hard to level the opening session of his World Championship semi-final with John Higgins, but told Eurosport after the session that he does not care about the outcome. That has been questioned by Jimmy White. Watch the World Championship and other top snooker live on Eurosport and discovery+.
‘I don’t actually care!’ – O’Sullivan says he is ‘on holiday’ at the World Championship
Jimmy White has questioned Ronnie O’Sullivan’s assertion that he does not care if he loses his World Championship semi-final to John Higgins.
After fighting back from three frames down to level the contest at 4-4 after the first session, O’Sullivan invited the Eurosport cameras into his dressing room.
The world No. 1 said he is treating every day as a holiday, life is fantastic and that he does not care about the outcome of the match - despite smashing his cue on the floor in fury after running out of position.
“I don’t actually care to be honest with you, I’m just here to enjoy myself," he told Eurosport. "If I get beat 17-4 I’m just going to have fun, enjoy it. That’s my motto. Life has to be good, life has to be fun. It’s just a game of snooker. I’m really delighted to be here.”
Asked if he was having fun once he got going, he added: “Even if it’s absolutely horrendous, I’m still having fun, because basically I’m on a holiday 365 days a year. Every day is a holiday. It’s great when you can treat everything like a holiday! The holiday continues, I’m having fun.
“I don’t actually want it to end. The Seniors is on next week so I’m thinking about coming back for that because the shop’s still open. I just don’t want to go home, I’m actually quite frustrated and I’ve looked at the calendar and there isn’t enough tournaments. I’m absolutely devastated.”
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'That’s not the truth' - White does not believe O'Sullivan saying he is not interested in title
He added: “I don’t give a monkeys, in the last seven years, in a nice way, I’m just here to play and have fun like when I was a 10-year-old. I can get over it. There’s so much good stuff going on, it’s a little dent, whereas before it would be a write-off and the car would be at the menders for six months. Now it’s a little polish up, we move on. Life’s great, life’s fantastic.
“I’m just happy to be here playing John, fantastic. Amazing. One-table setup, marvellous!”
It was an interview in the heat of the moment, and White felt it was in part down to frustration of having to combat a heavy, tough table.
“That’s not the truth,” White said in the Eurosport studio. “He is trying his heart out.”
O’Sullivan has six world titles to his name, and victory would take him level with Stephen Hendry.
“He would love to equal Hendry’s record and beat it in the next few years, so I don’t buy into that,” White said.
“He said after the second match he has a good team around him and is seeing Steve Peters, so he is trying to win the competition.”
O’Sullivan said he was there to play, but that things were fantastic, amazing, marvellous and life is great.
“I think even though he played well that might have been a bit of frustration on how heavy the table was,” White said. “We love Ronnie O’Sullivan, he has the biggest heart we have ever seen.
“I don’t buy into that at all, as he has put every effort he can and given himself the best chance he can of winning this World Championship.”
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