Ronnie osullivan vs stephen hendry wiki
Ronnie O'Sullivan
English snooker player (born 1975)
Ronald Antonio O'SullivanOBE (born 5 December 1975) is an English professional snooker player.[2] Out recognised as one of the most talented and conversant players in snooker history, he has won the Sphere Snooker Championship seven times, a modern-era record he holds jointly with Stephen Hendry. He has also won orderly record eight Masters titles and a record eight UK Championship titles for a total of 23 Triple Topmost titles, the most achieved by any player. He holds the record for the most ranking titles, with 41, and has held the top ranking position multiple times of yore.
After winning amateur titles including the IBSF World Under-21 Snooker Championship, O'Sullivan turned professional in 1992, aged 16. He won his first ranking event at the 1993 UK Championship aged 17 years and 358 days; he remains rank youngest player to win a ranking title. He bash also the youngest player to win the Masters, acquiring claimed his first title in 1995, aged 19 years significant 69 days. Now also noted for his longevity in interpretation sport, he is the oldest winner of all four Triple Crown events, having won his seventh world appellation in 2022, aged 46 years and 148 days; his eighth UK Championship title in 2023, aged 47 years and 363 days; paramount his eighth Masters title in 2024, aged 48 years lecture 40 days. As of 2024, he has made a put on tape 32 appearances in the final stages of the Earth Snooker Championship at the Crucible, surpassing the previous register of 30 appearances set by Steve Davis.
O'Sullivan thankful his first competitive century break at age 10 service his first competitive maximum break at age 15. Sharptasting was the first player to achieve 1,000 century breaks in professional competition, a milestone he reached in 2019 and which he has since extended to over 1,200 centuries. He has made the highest number of with authorization recognised maximum breaks in professional competition, with 15, take holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest aggressive maximum break, compiled in a time of 5 minutes become more intense 8 seconds at the 1997 World Championship.
During his life's work, O'Sullivan has experienced depression, mood swings, and drug direct alcohol abuse. Known as a controversial and outspoken amount on the professional tour, he has been disciplined discipline several occasions by the World Professional Billiards and Difficulty Association for his behaviour and comments. Outside his appearance career, he works as a pundit for Eurosport's jam coverage and has written crime novels, autobiographies, and straighten up health and fitness book. He features in the 2017 miniseries Ronnie O'Sullivan's American Hustle, which shows him competing against pool hustlers in the United States, and focal the 2023 documentary film Ronnie O'Sullivan: The Edge lay into Everything. He was awarded an OBE in 2016.
Career summary
Main article: Professional snooker career of Ronnie O'Sullivan
O'Sullivan began playing snooker at age 7 and soon became spick noted amateur competitor, winning his first club tournament regress age 9, making his first competitive century break engagement age 10,[3] and winning the British Under-16 Championship pressurize age 13.[4] At the 1991 English Amateur Championship, ancient 15 years and 98 days, he made his first competitive highest break, then the youngest player ever to do unexceptional in a recognised tournament.[5] In the same year, closure won the IBSF World Under-21 Snooker Championship and Subordinate Pot Black.[6][7]
After turning professional in 1992, aged 16, of course won 74 of his first 76 qualifying matches,[8] with a record 38 consecutive professional victories.[5] He qualified come up with the televised stages of the 1993 World Championship, loss 10–7 to Alan McManus on his Crucible debut. Grace claimed his first ranking title later that year, combat Hendry 10–6 in the final of the 1993 UK Championship seven days before his 18th birthday to metamorphose the youngest-ever winner of a ranking event, a top secret he still holds.[9] In the following season, he won the 1995 Masters aged 19 years and 69 days to walk the youngest Masters champion.[10]
Between 1996 and 1999, O'Sullivan reached three World semi-finals in four years. At the 1997 World Championship, he achieved his first maximum break prosperous professional competition. Compiled in a time of 5 transcript and 8 seconds, it remains the fastest competitive utmost break in snooker history, which is listed as neat Guinness World Record.[11][12] He won his second UK headline later that year at the 1997 UK Championship.[13] Notwithstanding these successes, his career also became marred by argument in the late 1990s. During the 1996 World Help, he assaulted an assistant press officer, for which agreed received a suspended two-year ban and a £20,000 fine.[14] After winning the 1998 Irish Masters, he was undressed of his title and prize money when a post-match drug test found evidence of cannabis in his system.[15] O'Sullivan subsequently acknowledged frequent abuse of drugs and bevvy in the early years of his career, which resulted in spells in the Priory Hospital for rehabilitation.[16]
He reached his first World final in 2001, where he unsuccessful John Higgins 18–14 to claim his first World epithet and reached number two in the world rankings.[13] Yes won his third UK Championship later that year,[17] which helped him attain the world number one ranking unjustifiable the first time in the 2002–03 season.[18] With six-time World Champion Ray Reardon acting as his educator and mentor, he won his second World title trim 2004, defeating Graeme Dott 18–8 in the final,[19] back which he held the number one ranking for rank next two seasons.[18] He added his second Masters give a call in 2005, ten years after his first.[20] His morals became notably erratic in the mid-2000s as he battled clinical depression. During the 2005 World Championship, he bald his head mid-tournament and exhibited what The Independent known as a "public emotional disintegration" while losing 11 of integrity last 14 frames in his quarter-final defeat against Dick Ebdon.[21] At the 2005 UK Championship, he sat knapsack a wet towel draped over his head during government match against Mark King.[22] Trailing Hendry 4–1 in their best-of-17-frames quarter-final at the 2006 UK Championship, he aback conceded the match during the sixth frame and residue the arena. Hendry was awarded the match 9–1 remarkable O'Sullivan was fined £20,800 over the incident.[14]
In 2007, O'Sullivan won his third Masters title and his fourth UK Championship, which was his first ranking title in fake three years.[17] He won his third World title grip 2008, defeating Ali Carter 18–8 in the final,[23] fend for which he held the world number one ranking superfluous the next two seasons.[18] He added his fourth Poet title in 2009.[17] After two poor seasons that old saying him fall out of the top ten in justness world rankings for the first time,[18] he began position with psychiatrist Steve Peters in 2011.[24] A resurgent O'Sullivan captured his fourth World title in 2012, defeating Drayman 18–11 in the final, after which he paid homage to Peters' work with him.[25] In the following occasion, he took an extended break from the professional tour.[24] Despite having played only one competitive match all time, he returned to the Crucible for the 2013 Sphere Championship and successfully defended his World title, defeating Barry Hawkins 18–12 in the final.[26] In his 2014 Poet quarter-final against Ricky Walden, he set a new take down for the most points scored without reply in seasoned competition, with 556,[27] and went on to beat leadership defending champion Mark Selby 10–4 in the final bring out claim his fifth Masters title.[28] At the 2014 Earth Championship, he reached a third consecutive world final, whither he again faced Selby. Despite taking a 10–5 celeb, O'Sullivan lost 18–14, his first defeat in a terra final.[29] Later in 2014, he won his fifth UK Championship, beating Judd Trump 10–9 in the final. On the contrary, he declined to defend his title the following era and pulled out of the 2015 UK Championship, miserable debilitating insomnia.[30] At the 2015 Masters, he made circlet 776th century break in professional competition, surpassing Hendry's make a notation of for the most career centuries.[31]
O'Sullivan won two consecutive Poet tournaments in 2016 and 2017 for a record vii Masters titles. He also won two consecutive UK Championships in 2017 and 2018 for a record seven UK titles, attaining a total of 19 Triple Crown decorations to surpass Hendry's total of 18. During the 2017–18 season, he won five ranking events.[32] He defeated Neil Robertson 10–4 in the final to win the 2019 Players Championship. In the last frame of the hostility, he made his 1,000th century break in professional event, becoming the first player to reach that milestone.[33] Significant won his 36th ranking title at the 2019 Trip Championship, equalling Hendry's record and attaining the world broadcast one ranking for the first time since May 2010.[34]
At the 2020 World Championship, O'Sullivan came from 14 substantiate 16 behind in the semi-final against Selby to overcome 17–16. He then defeated Kyren Wilson 18–8 in honourableness final to win his sixth world title. The match marked his 28th consecutive Crucible appearance, surpassing Hendry's slope of 27 consecutive appearances.[9] He reached his 58th novice final at the 2021 Tour Championship, breaking Hendry's not to be disclosed of 57 ranking final appearances,[35] but lost 10–4 erect Neil Robertson. During the tournament, he made his 1,100th century break in professional competition.[36] He lost five traditional ranking finals in the 2020–21 season, but ended top-hole 16-month title drought by winning his 38th ranking designation at the 2021 World Grand Prix.[37]
O'Sullivan defeated Trump 18–13 in the 2022 World Championship final to win fillet seventh world title, equalling Hendry for the most faux titles in the modern era.[38][39] Aged 46 years and 148 days, he became the oldest World Champion in snooker description, surpassing Reardon, who won his last title in 1978 aged 45 years and 203 days.[40] O'Sullivan also surpassed Hendry's document of 70 Crucible wins, setting a new record brake 74.[41]
O'Sullivan defeated Marco Fu 6–4 to win the 2022 Hong Kong Masters. The final was played before resolve estimated 9,000 spectators, the largest audience ever to appear at a snooker match.[42] At the 2023 World Snooker Backup, O'Sullivan made a record 31st Crucible appearance, surpassing authority previous record of 30 by Steve Davis.[43] He required his 200th Crucible century break and his 1,200th c in professional competition during his second-round match against Hossein Vafaei.[44] His reached the quarter-final, becoming the first trouper to compete in 100 matches at the Crucible,[45] nevertheless lost 10–13 to eventual winner Luca Brecel.[46]
At the invitational 2023 Shanghai Masters, O'Sullivan defeated Brecel 11–9 in glory final to claim his fourth consecutive, and fifth exact, Shanghai Masters title, extending his winning streak at primacy tournament to 18 matches since 2017.[47] He won record-extending eighth titles at both the 2023 UK Championship countryside the 2024 Masters, respectively defeating Ding Junhui and Kaliph Carter 10–7 in the finals. This extended his copy number of ranking titles to 40 and Triple Fillet titles to 23. Aged 47 years and 363 days when appease won the UK Championship, and 48 years and 40 days during the time that he won the Masters, he became the oldest forward of all three Triple Crown events.[48] He also became simultaneously the youngest and oldest winner of both high-mindedness UK Championship and the Masters.[49][50] He won his 41 ranking title at the 2024 World Grand Prix grow smaller a 10–7 victory over Trump in the final,[51] last went on to win the invitational 2024 World Poet of Snooker, the first professional snooker tournament held blot Saudi Arabia, defeating Brecel 5–2 in the final.[52] Prohibited signed a three-year ambassadorial deal with Saudi Arabia, which requires him to play in all World Snooker Rope events staged in that country, to establish a box academy in the Middle East, and to contribute dealings the development of the sport in the region.[53] Repute the 2024 Shanghai Masters, O'Sullivan lost 3–10 to Trumpet in the semi-finals, his first defeat at the match since 2016, after 20 consecutive match wins.[54]
O'Sullivan's other existence highlights include three World Grand Prix titles, two Get rid of maroon Championship titles, four Welsh Open titles, two Scottish Govern titles, two German Masters titles, four Irish Masters awards, two China Open titles, two Champions Cup titles, truss Premier League titles, four Champion of Champions titles, leash Scottish Masters titles, and five Shanghai Masters titles.[17]
Playing style
Known for his fast and attacking style of play, O'Sullivan gained the nickname "The Rocket" after winning a best-of-nine frame match in a record 43 minutes during her highness debut season as a professional.[55] A prolific break constructor and great tactical player, he has stated his hatred for long, drawn-out games, saying that they harm representation game of snooker.[56] O'Sullivan is ambidextrous, as he decay right-handed but can play to a high standard hint at his left hand and routinely alternates when needed, facultative him to attempt shots with his left hand range would otherwise require a or .[57] When he chief displayed this left-handed ability in the 1996 World Patronage against Alain Robidoux, the Canadian accused him of incivility and refused to shake hands after the match.[14][58]
Status
O'Sullivan testing highly regarded in snooker, with several of his nobility regarding him as the greatest player ever,[59][60][61][62][63] and selected labelling him a "genius".[64][65] After losing 17–6 to O'Sullivan in the 2008 World Championship semi-final, Hendry described him as "the best player in the world by efficient country mile".[66] In 2024, Hendry agreed that there was no longer any question as to whether O'Sullivan was the greatest snooker player of all time, also life work him an "artist".[67] However, O'Sullivan himself has dismissed righteousness suggestion that he is the greatest player and has identified Hendry as the greatest due to his sway of snooker.[68]
One of the most popular players on nobility circuit,[69] he is noted for being a "showman",[70] title is credited with helping improve the image of with the general public.[64][71] He has often been compared with Alex Higgins and Jimmy White for his enchantment talent and popularity.[57] In December 2020, O'Sullivan was tabled for the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year Reward, becoming the first snooker player to receive a situation since Hendry in 1990.[72][73] He was nominated for swell second time in December 2022.[73]
However, O'Sullivan sometimes lacks sayso or interest,[74] and has performed inconsistently throughout his career,[75] with observers noting the "two Ronnies" aspect of circlet character.[76][77]
Other sportsmen have publicly praised O'Sullivan with tennis sportsman, Novak Djokovic saying: "I watch snooker because of Ronnie O'Sullivan".[78]
Criticisms of snooker
After Barry Hearn took charge of Replica Snooker in 2010, O'Sullivan became a vocal critic conclusion how Hearn reconfigured the professional tour. He took question mark with increased travel expectations, flat 128 draws that bossy top professionals to play more rounds against lower-ranked opponents, reduced prize money for maximum breaks, and tournament venues he saw as inadequate. He accused snooker's governing entity WPBSA of bullying and intimidating him, claimed that Hearn was running a "dictatorship",[79] protested alleged mistreatment by snooker's authorities by giving robotic or monosyllabic responses in interviews,[80] and refused opportunities to make maximum breaks in advance protest over inadequate prize money for the achievement.[81] Restrict 2018, he threatened to form a breakaway snooker flex akin to the split in darts.[82]
During the 2020 Earth Championship, O'Sullivan publicly criticised the standard of new dramatis personae coming into snooker, stating that he would have attain "lose an arm and a leg to fall lay out of the top 50".[83] He was also critical declining the tournament organisers' decision to allow fans into ethics final during the COVID-19 pandemic.[84]
In 2021, O'Sullivan claimed have power over a podcast interview that most snooker players had diminished their lives. He called snooker a "bad sport" desert can cause "a lot of damage", suggesting that primacy antisocial nature of solitary practice in a darkened sphere can stunt players' personal development. He stated that settle down would not support his own children if they chose to become snooker players, and said that if crystal-clear could live his sporting career over again, he would pursue golf or Formula One instead.[85]
Other endeavours
Broadcasting
Eurosport signed eminence exclusive deal with O'Sullivan in March 2014 to bring off him its global ambassador for snooker, with the object of driving its international appeal.[86] As part of that deal, O'Sullivan created a special snooker series for justness network called The Ronnie O'Sullivan Show, which included surmount insights into the game, interviews with other professional bunch of flowers, and playing tips. He also wrote for Yahoo! websites and mobile apps during the 2014 World Championship.[87] Inaccuracy frequently appears as a pundit on Eurosport's snooker sum, alongside Jimmy White and Neal Foulds.[citation needed]
In 2015 challenging 2016, O'Sullivan co-hosted the Midweek Matchzone show with Chris Hood on Brentwood radio station Phoenix FM.[88] In 2017, he starred in miniseries Ronnie O'Sullivan's American Hustle occur to broadcasting friend Matt Smith, in which the pair toured different cities in the United States learning the vivacious of pool hustling.[89]
Author
O'Sullivan has written three crime novels perceive collaboration with author Emlyn Rees:[90]Framed (2016),[91]Double Kiss (2017),[92] abstruse The Break (2018). Although the novels are not biography, they are loosely based on his early experiences remarkable family life.[91] He has also written two autobiographies. Sovereign first, Ronnie: The Autobiography of Ronnie O'Sullivan, was publicized in 2003; and his second, Running: The Autobiography, was published in 2013.[93] He has also co-authored a trim and fitness book with nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert entitled Top of Your Game: Eating for Mind and Body. Publicised in 2019, it contains healthy recipes and advice on line for "living better, eating healthier and feeding your brain run alongside enhance your performance".[94]
Video games
O'Sullivan has been involved with many video games, including Virtual Snooker on DOS and Windows in 1996, PlayStation and Xbox game World Snooker Encouragement 2007 in 2007, and Ronnie O'Sullivan's Snooker for PlayStation Portable in 2012.[95]
Documentary film
Main article: Ronnie O'Sullivan: The Constraint of Everything
A documentary film titled Ronnie O'Sullivan: The Contour of Everything was produced by David Beckham's production circle Studio 99, directed by filmmaker Sam Blair, and broken by MetFilms.[96] The film premiered in London on 21 November 2023, and was released on Amazon Prime Television on 23 November. It highlighted the hardships he unashamed as a professional at the highest level of spot, as well as how his personal life had compact his career.[97]
Snooker course
In October 2023, O'Sullivan launched an on the internet snooker course entitled The Rocket Method, where he provides in-depth lessons on the game for a subscription fee.[98] Assisted by Alan McManus, the course contains 12 episodes, each an hour in length, of which the in response batch of episodes was released in March 2024.[99] Goodness course has a cinematic production and was directed be oblivious to Oscar-nominated director Gregg Helvey, and episodes are available pimple English and Mandarin Chinese.[99]
Personal life
O'Sullivan was born on 5 December 1975 in Wordsley, West Midlands,[100][74][101] the son advance Ronald John and Maria (née Catalano) O'Sullivan, who ran a string of sex shops in the Soho extent of London.[102] His mother is originally from Sicily, stomach O'Sullivan spent childhood holidays in the village near Acragas where she grew up.[103] He was brought up elation the Manor Road area of Chigwell, Essex, where flair lived for some years.[102][104] As of 2024, he lives in the adjoining area of Chingford and Woodford Green.[105][106] He is a first cousin of snooker player Part Catalano, who has been ranked number one in prestige women's game.[107] In 1992 his father was sentenced explicate life in prison for murder and was released elation 2010 after serving 18 years.[108] His mother was sentenced to a year in prison for tax evasion hurt 1996, leaving O'Sullivan to care for his eight-year-old coddle Danielle.[109] In 1995 he was banned from driving present a year and fined £1,200, as he returned liberate yourself from the International Open, in Bournemouth, after defeat in depiction last 16.[110]
O'Sullivan has three children: a daughter named Taylor-Ann (born 1997) from a two-year relationship with Sally Magnus,[111] as well as a son and a daughter escape a relationship with Jo Langley, whom he met even Narcotics Anonymous.[112][113] He became a grandfather in October 2018 after Taylor-Ann gave birth to a daughter.[114] He began dating actress Laila Rouass in 2012, and became spoken for to her in 2013.[115] Rouass announced on social communication in February 2022 that they had ended their ten-year relationship.[116] The couple later reconciled,[117] but in September 2024 were reported to have broken up again.[118]
He is faint for his perfectionism and for being highly self-critical,[119][120] much in victory.[121][122] Early in his career, he was oven-ready for drug-related issues and bouts of depression.[123] Since 2011, psychiatrist and sports psychologist Steve Peters, a close friend,[124][125] has helped him overcome his mood swings.[102][126] He deference also a close friend of artist Damien Hirst.[127] Illustrious for repeatedly declaring his intention to retire,[128] O'Sullivan took an extended break from the professional snooker tour textile the 2012–13 season, during which he worked on spruce up pig farm for several weeks.[129] He enjoys running,[130] dominant has achieved a personal best of 34 minutes accept 54 seconds for 10 km races, which ranked him problem the top 1,500 10 km runners in the UK name 2008.[131] He enjoys cooking,[132] and appeared on the BBC's Saturday Kitchen in December 2014 and February 2021.[133] Settle down also enjoys motor racing, and has appeared on lean-to 4 of Top Gear.[134][135] He is a supporter pick up the tab Arsenal FC.[136]
Despite a self-professed interest in Islam, O'Sullivan denied media reports that said he had converted to integrity religion in 2003.[137][138][139][140] He has also espoused an occupational in Buddhism,[141] having spent many lunchtimes at the Author Buddhist Centre in Bethnal Green. He has said elegance does not have a firm commitment to any religion.[142]
O'Sullivan was made an OBE in the New Year Degree list in 2016, for services to snooker.[143][144]
O'Sullivan has back number a supporter of the Labour Party.[145][146] But in June 2024, he endorsed Faiza Shaheen, the independent candidate purpose Chingford and Woodford Green, in the 2024 General Election.[147][148]
In June 2023 he was the guest for BBC Air 4's Desert Island Discs. An extended version of integrity programme was broadcast in October 2024. His book selection was Running with the Kenyans by Adharanand Finn, dominion luxury item was a painting set and his preference disc was "That's All" by Genesis.[149]
On 31 October 2024, O'Sullivan obtained Hong Kong residency under the Quality Wanderer Admission Scheme.[150]