Ronnie O’Sullivan says he is going through ‘hell’ as he bids to win a record eighth World Snooker Championship.
The Rocket booked his place in the quarter-final with a comprehensive 13-4 victory over Pang Junxu on Monday.
Ronnie O’Sullivan explained the challenges he is facing at the World ChampionshipsGettyDespite missing out on a century break, O’Sullivan went on to sweep aside his opponent with ease, however, the 49-year-old was far from happy with his performance.
He admits to suffering from a lack of self-belief in his game, not helped by his struggles in finding the right cue to play with.
“I feel so unconfident,” O’Sullivan said after booking his place in the last eight. “It’s horrible, even when I’m playing alright. In the balls, I was alright tonight, but there are so many different parts of the game you’ve got to get right. It’s hell.
“It’s not even about winning, it’s about going there and being confident enough to just do yourself justice. It’s nice to win but you just want to be part of a good game.
“I’ve always felt better if I’ve played well in a game and lost than played terrible and won. I know I’m probably not normal so I’ve accepted that.
“I love grafting but I just can’t handle not knowing where the ball is going. I couldn’t even tell you if it was a good cue because I’m hitting the ball that badly.
“I’ve gone through about 30 cues and I’ve got to the point where I can’t really judge. The way I’m hitting the ball, they all sound terrible so I can’t even tell if it’s a good cue or not.”
He continued: “I’ve given up even trying to work out what’s wrong,” he said after sealing his latest victory at the Crucible. “Feeling wise it’s probably the worst I’ve ever felt.
“Sometimes I can’t even see where I’m hitting. At the moment I feel so uncomfortable. It’s horrible even when you’re playing all right, let alone how I feel. It’s just guesswork. It’s hell to be honest with you.
“They’ve let me off the hook. It’s difficult. I’m like Seve Ballesteros. I can spray it around but around the green I’m okay.
O’Sullivan booked his place at in the quarter-finals with victory on Monday eveningGetty“What I could get away with ten years ago, I can’t get away with now. If I’m playing like this in two years that will be it. It’s not fun.”
Monday’s victory means O’Sullivan will contest a record-extending 23rd Crucible quarter-final where he goes up against Si Jiahui for a place in the last four.
And despite ongoing challenges with form and his cue, the Rocket is not ruling himself out of claiming yet another title.
“I’ve won this tournament many times before while playing what I consider bad, so it can be done,” O’Sullivan added. “When you’re in your early forties and late thirties, it’s probably much more achievable.
“When you’re nearly 50 and you struggle to bend down and do your shoelaces up, it gets a bit hard. People say: ‘You’re not as bad as you think’, so it’s really hard to judge. Feeling-wise, it’s probably the worst I’ve ever felt, to be honest with you.
“I don’t even know where my back arm is, where my left leg is. Sometimes I can’t even see where I’m hitting and I’ll butcher a shot. It’s difficult, it really is difficult.”
Luca Brecel has his eyes set on a repeat of his 2023 heroicsGettyMeanwhile, Luca Brecel registered a 13-4 victory over Ding Junhui to book his place in the last eight to set up a meeting with Judd Trump.
The Belgian knows what it takes to prevail at the Crucible and has his eyes firmly set on repeating his triumph of 2023.
“I’m not sure if I’m playing as good as then but I’m definitely not so worried about winning the title,” he said. “Two years ago it felt like a golden chance, and now I feel like I can get back there and do it again, so it’s not that much pressure.”
Elsewhere, John Higgins takes on Mark Williams and Zhao Xintong faces Chris Wakelin in the remaining two quarter-final matches.
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