Ronnie O'Sullivan made history at the Crucible Theatre on Saturday, securing a record 71st match win at the venue as he thrashed Mark Allen 13-4 to reach the World Snooker Championship quarter-finals. The world No. 1, seeking to equal Stephen Hendry's seven world titles, produced a box-office performance in Sheffield.
O'Sullivan, 46, drew inspiration from martial arts legend Bruce Lee, comparing his dedication to that of his heroes. 'It's probably down to quite a few things, years of practice, years of dedication. Years of trying to be the best version of yourself that you can be,' he said. 'If you look at Bruce Lee he probably trained many, many hours, not just physically but mentally.'
The Rocket's victory came after a war of words with Allen, who had told O'Sullivan the event was 'not the Ronnie O'Sullivan show'. However, O'Sullivan let his cue do the talking, advancing to a 20th Crucible quarter-final where he will face Stephen Maguire.
Despite his historic achievement, O'Sullivan warned of tough competition ahead. 'There are a lot of lions left in this tournament. The likes of John Higgins, Mark Williams, Neil Robertson and Kyren Wilson,' he said. 'That's what you need to win the world title. A big heart. Some people have that and some don't. I've always had a big heart.'
