August 21st 2024.
Ronnie O'Sullivan, a legendary snooker player, has achieved almost everything there is to achieve in the sport. However, there is still one big goal that he has his eyes set on - winning one more World Championship title and taking his tally to eight. While he often claims that he is not concerned about records and statistics, he does admit that surpassing Stephen Hendry's seven world titles would mean a lot to him.
At 48 years old, O'Sullivan is currently tied with Hendry for the most World Championship wins. He believes that going clear of the great Scot would be the final accomplishment in his already epic career. In his own words, "I don't have to win any tournaments anymore, I've had a great career, an amazing career." However, he does acknowledge that winning another World Championship would be a dream come true and a perfect way to wrap up his illustrious career.
In the Xi'an Grand Prix, O'Sullivan has had an easy journey so far, breezing into the last 16 with comfortable wins. However, he is aware that his upcoming match against Hossein Vafaei will be a tougher challenge. Despite not being fully satisfied with his recent performances, O'Sullivan found something in his match against Yuan Sijun and hopes to continue playing at a high level. He also revealed that he has been practicing playing left-handed more often, which is something he enjoys and believes will help him find form with his right hand as well.
O'Sullivan's ultimate goal is to enjoy the game, especially at this stage of his career. He believes that finding consistency and enjoying his performances will lead to more success. Reflecting on the past two years, where he won many tournaments but did not enjoy the game, he knows that it is crucial for him to find joy in playing. He is determined to keep persevering and finding ways to make that happen.
On Thursday, at 12:30pm UK time, O'Sullivan will face Vafaei in the last 16 of the Xi'an Grand Prix, which will be broadcasted live on Matchroom.live. The other matches in the last 16 include Kyren Wilson vs Jimmy Robertson, Mark Williams vs Xu Si, Gong Chenzhi vs Matt Selt, Judd Trump vs Jak Jones, Dave Gilbert vs Mark Selby, Dominic Dale vs Daniel Wells, and Barry Hawkins vs Mark Allen. It promises to be an exciting day of snooker, with O'Sullivan aiming to continue his journey towards his ultimate goal - one more World Championship title.
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