December 23rd 2024.
Renowned snooker player Ronnie O'Sullivan has recently revealed his plans to continue playing for another decade. As he and his fellow snooker legends from the Class of 92 approach their 50th birthdays, there has been speculation about who will retire first. And according to Stephen Hendry, it will likely be Ronnie who hangs up his cue first.
Despite all three players, including Mark Williams and John Higgins, still competing at the highest level and ranking among the top 16 players in the world at the age of 49, there will come a time when they will have to retire. Hendry believes that it will be Ronnie who will make the decision to retire first.
During a discussion on Hendry's Cue Tips channel, he expressed his thoughts, "Who's going to be the first to say 'that's it, I'm done'? I think it could be Ronnie." He went on to explain that this is not because of a decline in their playing abilities, but possibly due to a lack of the same competitive spirit they had in their younger days. Williams, on the other hand, has already declared that he will continue playing until he is no longer on the professional tour and will even participate in amateur tournaments after that.
Hendry also noted that even if Ronnie is not winning as often as he used to, he still has the potential to be the best player in the world if he consistently plays in tournaments. However, John Higgins and Mark Williams are still going strong, with the latter stating that Ronnie is still the best player in the world if he plays at his best.
Recently, Ronnie has expressed his desire to play for another decade, showing no signs of slowing down. Higgins, on the other hand, has hinted at retirement when he reaches 50, but his recent signing of a long-term cue deal suggests that he will continue playing for a while longer.
Hendry believes that one challenge for Higgins at this stage of his career is accepting the occasional bad miss, something that comes with age. "You do miss the odd easy one now that you didn't used to. Even Ronnie does," he said. Williams agreed, adding that it's important to accept these mistakes and move on.
All three players will be competing at the upcoming Masters tournament in January, with Ronnie facing off against Higgins in the opening round and Williams taking on Ding Junhui.
Despite some recent struggles, including early exits at the Champion of Champions and UK Championship, Ronnie remains confident in his abilities. "I always play the long game," he said. "My game is in good shape, and as long as I stay focused and have a bit of luck, I can come back and win tournaments." He added that he is not worried or panicking, as he is enjoying the latter part of his career. "I'm not bothered, I know I'm on the back end of my career, so it's less important now. I'm just enjoying it."
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