November 13th 2024.
Ronnie O'Sullivan, a seven-time world champion, hasn't been performing up to his usual standards this season. Fellow snooker legend Stephen Hendry believes that the Rocket has "lost that little bit of competitive spirit" which has resulted in a slow start to the season.
Despite winning five titles, including the UK Championship and Masters, just last season, the 48-year-old has skipped a few events this campaign. His best run so far has been reaching the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters and Xi'an Grand Prix. However, he was recently defeated in the last 32 of the International Championship by Pang Junxu. Hendry believes that O'Sullivan is lacking motivation at the moment.
During an interview on the Snooker Club podcast, Hendry commented on O'Sullivan's recent loss in Nanjing, saying "He missed the three tournaments previously so he's hardly played. I think he went to Macao for an exhibition with Jak Jones and Jak beat him 3-1, before going to Nanjing." He also mentioned that O'Sullivan has been experimenting with playing left-handed this season, possibly in search of something to make the game more enjoyable and to help him focus.
Hendry also expressed his observation that O'Sullivan's "competitive spirit" seems to have diminished. He believes that the snooker legend is more comfortable playing exhibitions and earning large sums of money. O'Sullivan has been keeping busy with his own academy in Saudi Arabia, being a popular figure in China, and being an ambassador for Wynn Casinos in Macao. Hendry believes that snooker has taken a back seat for O'Sullivan at the moment.
However, Hendry is not counting the Rocket out just yet. With the upcoming Champion of Champions event, followed by the UK Championship and the Masters in January, he could soon be back in top form. "At Ronnie's stage of his career, the fire isn't burning as brightly as it was, probably," Hendry said. "There's only going to be certain events that get the juices flowing for Ronnie." He believes that this part of the season will be crucial in determining if O'Sullivan still has the drive to win and prove his talent.
O'Sullivan's first match at the Champion of Champions is scheduled for Thursday afternoon against Xiao Guodong. He will then defend his UK Championship title on the first day of the tournament at the Barbican in York on November 23rd. Despite his recent struggles, O'Sullivan has a strong track record at these events and Hendry believes that these tournaments could reignite his passion for the game.
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