Ronnie O'Sullivan arrives at the Crucible this weekend chasing a historic eighth world title, which would stand him alone one clear of Stephen Hendry. The 50-year-old has already produced one of the most remarkable moments of his career this season, scoring a 153 break against Ryan Day at the World Open in China – the highest break in professional snooker history.
O'Sullivan potted a free ball as his first 'red', then cleared all 15 reds with 13 blacks and two pinks before finishing the colours. 'I've been the first to do many things, so I thought I might as well get that one too,' he said. The feat came in the same season in which he made two 147 breaks in the same match at the Saudi Arabia Masters.
Despite his genius, O'Sullivan's commitment has been questioned. He missed Friday's media day at the Crucible, alongside world number one Judd Trump. Former world champion Shaun Murphy criticised the absence, saying: 'I think it's a real shame, and they probably could both have done a little more to help promote the game over the years.' Both players may be fined by the World Snooker Tour.
O'Sullivan faces the additional challenge of commuting from Dublin, where he will be based for tax reasons, rather than staying in Sheffield. 'I would say going back and forth on a plane, no, I don't think he can do that,' 1997 world champion Ken Doherty told RTE. O'Sullivan is currently world No 12 and has reached finals this season, but his consistency has waned and his aura of invincibility has faded.
The current world champion, Zhao Xintong, leads a record 11 Chinese players among the 32 entrants. Zhao's victory has instilled new belief that the Crucible can be conquered by China's rising stars. O'Sullivan will need to overcome both the competition and his own distractions to claim an unprecedented eighth crown.
