'I have been given a gift' - Ronnie O’Sullivan determined to keep fighting on biggest stage after Mark Allen win
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Updated 23/04/2022 at 18:07 GMT
Ronnie O'Sullivan powered into the quarter-finals of the World Championship with a mauling of Mark Allen at the Crucible. He is in the later stages of his career, but is determined to keep producing at the highest level. Watch the World Championship and other top snooker live on Eurosport and discovery+.
'I know how to pace myself' - O'Sullivan eyeing Crucible title after win over Allen
Ronnie O’Sullivan has revealed he owes it to fans of snooker to keep producing the goods on the biggest stage.
The six-time winner of the World Championship eased into the quarter-finals with a 13-4 demolition of Mark Allen.
It was an impressive performance but, ominously for his rivals, one which leaves scope for improvement from O’Sullivan.
Victory over Allen was impressive, but even easy wins take a toll and O’Sullivan said it is about pacing yourself through the tournament.
“No match is easy, even the ones that look easy on paper as you have to go through the quagmire of the beginning of the match, the sessions, the taking of the lead and maybe going behind and it asks a lot of questions,” O'Sullivan told Eurosport. “You cannot ease up even with a big lead. You just have to keep focus.
“I probably feel it (mental fatigue) more at the end of the tournament. When I am in it I don’t really monitor how I feel, if I am tired or this and that. I just keep playing.
“I have a lot of endurance to keep playing, a lot of stamina. I have played a lot of snooker and know how to pace myself.
“At some point the body might refuse to allow it to happen, but I just try to ignore that and go with my heart and see what happens.”
O’Sullivan will take on Stephen Maguire in the quarter-finals, and is happy to be in the last eight and putting on a show for the fans.
“I could probably not play in this event and not play the Masters and still have a great life,” O’Sullivan told the press after beating Allen. “But I think I owe it to myself, I owe it to the snooker fans, I have been given a gift and a talent and I have to try and use it as much as I can.
“It’s not going to last forever so I just try and enjoy it as much as I can.”
Speaking to Eurosport, he added: “It is good to have a good run at Sheffield, a great tournament and a great venue.
“I would like to win it. I would not like to get to the final and lose, same for the semi-finals. If it happens it happens, but if I had to choose between losing in the first round and losing in the final I’d rather lose in the first round as all that hard work with nothing to show for it would be disappointing.”
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