Ronnie O’Sullivan denies he’s the greatest ever as snooker legend drops retirement hint

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Ronnie O’Sullivan insists he would rather let the public decide the greatest snooker player of all time. The world No 1 has also quashed suggestions that he could soon retire, insisting he still relishes the challenge of competing for titles. 

O’Sullivan is set to compete at the World Championship later this month. The veteran could win the tournament for the seventh time. 

But having hinted at retirement “within the next three years” during last December’s World Grand Prix, O’Sullivan now appears to have backtracked. The Stourbridge-born star instead appears to think he can continue playing for much longer. 

He also has no time to discuss where he ranks among the sport’s greatest players. “Age catches up with you at some point, but I still enjoy and relish the challenge. I still enjoy getting my cue out. I still enjoy the lifestyle, and I make it work for me. I’ve had a great career and enjoyed it – it has been fantastic for me, so it is nice to have a plan and to see it through,” O’Sullivan told Eurosport. 

“I do not regard myself as the greatest ever. I think Stephen Hendry had a really good answer: as long as my name is in the conversation, you have to let other people decide that. All I have done is try to win and compete and play the way I want to play.”

O’Sullivan believes that his style differs from many of snooker’s greats. The 46-year-old believes he is more aggressive and suggested he might have won even more had he been more defensive at the table. 

He continued: “I have played a brand of snooker that is very difficult to play as an individual sportsman. To play the way I play, it is not easy. Sometimes it is easier to win if you are more of a defensive, negative, counter-puncher sort of player.

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“I come out and I probably attack the balls more, which leaves you open to being picked off a little bit more. I just enjoy playing.

“Jimmy White played that brand and maybe it cost him winning the World Championship. I was able to stay true to that style of snooker and still win it six times. It is not easy.

“I was never big into records, but if people want to start talking about, ‘is he a great, is he this…’ I suppose you have to look at the record books and as far as World Championships, yes I am one behind Stephen Hendry. Not a bad place to be. I managed to do better in the other two majors and lots of other yardsticks if you want to throw them in as well.”

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