The greatest player of all time is on a mission. Not particularly fond of the Crucible Theater, Ronnie O’Sullivan can continue to write history if he succeeds in this 2024 edition of the World Championship. While several big names have already faltered, Luca Brecel and Mark Selby in the lead, the snooker star signed a clear and flawless victory for his entry into the running against Jackson Page.
Often acerbic towards himself and his quality of play, the native of Wordsley looked good after his success against the Welshman. “I enjoyed what I did, it was good for once. I think I’m playing pretty decently. When my game is good, then I am happy. If it’s not good, as it has been for a long time, I’m an unhappy person“, he explained on the Eurosport set. “I will never recover. It’s like that. I just have to try to be proud of myself.”
A demonstration and O’Sullivan begins his quest for an eighth title perfectly
Getting used to the “power of the Crucible”
Having morale is undoubtedly essential to triumph at the Crucible Theater. Grueling from start to finish, the World Championship is a beast to master. Players keep harping on it. Ronnie O’Sullivan seemed happy with his first outing of the vintage. “It takes me a little while to get used to this return, even after all these years. It’s a difficult place. Great players have come here and never won. That’s the power of the Crucible.”
While the matches and sessions will get closer in time, “The Rocket” does not seem perturbed. “We must let the tournament unfold. It’s the same for everyone. We all have to play the same number of matches, the same number of games. The toughest survive. If it’s me, great… It’s about who has the mental capacity to handle the pressure. You have to know how to appreciate it, accept it, see it as a pleasure. I feel like I have butterflies in my stomach, but I’m not stressed.“
The “three-eight” emulsion
The “three-eight dream” is indeed real for Ronnie O’Sullivan. Crowned in the first two Triple Crown tournaments earlier in the season, the snooker legend can hope to add his name to the very short list of players who have won the game’s three biggest tournaments in a season. Only Steve Davis in 1987-1988, Stephen Hendry twice in 1989-1990 and 1995-1996 and Mark Williams in 2002-2003 have achieved this.
Consultants for Eurosport and close to the player, especially the first, Jimmy White and Alan McManus were complimentary towards The Rocket. “It was a job well done“, said the Scotsman. “He didn’t give Jackson (Page) any chance. Ronnie was far from his best. It was a brilliant performance. You can see how hard he is trained.”
The winner of the 1984 Masters had the same speech as his sidekick. “Once he took the lead, he wasn’t going to be caught again. I think he has something to answer for. He always played the right shots, his safety game (editor’s note, defense) seemed well-established.” In recent months, Ronnie O’Sullivan has several times been very virulent towards himself and his level of play. If he keeps this stability, it will be difficult to go after him.
However, this 2024 vintage of the biggest snooker event has already revealed its share of surprises. More than ever, you will need to have a strong mental mindset to triumph at the Crucible Theater. However, the motivations are legion for Ronnie O’Sullivan. It’s up to him to keep this drive and this aggression intact for his second round against Ryan Day, an opponent he has beaten 7 times in 9 confrontations since the start of his career (starting this Sunday on Eurosport).
