RONNIE O’SULLIVAN claims the “worst thing I’ve ever done in snooker” was listening to “bad” coaching advice more than six years ago.
The Rocket, 49, won the Crucible title in the Covid-hit year of 2020 and then two years later, he was crowned champion of the world.
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Yet behind-the-scenes, he says he was struggling with his technique, alleging that sessions with an unnamed guru saw him “change my alignment”, lose his timing and “basically lost all connection with the cue”.
Ever the perfectionist, the world No.5 is “now trying to unravel” what he was taught and he has promised never to listen again to any outside coaches when it comes to hitting snooker balls.
Speaking to SunSport before the tournament, O’Sullivan said his long-term concerns were “probably brought on by some bad coaching advice that I took maybe six years ago and it set the rot in”.
He said: “It’s not easy. It’s a bit like if you walk a certain way, and you have been walking a certain way for 20-30 years, but now we want you to try and walk like this. It’s really difficult to do it.
“It takes time, it takes perseverance. It takes a lot of discipline. And that’s the situation I am in.”
After he crushed Chinese qualifier Pang Junxu 13-4 in round two on Monday night – he only needed one frame in the third and final session – O’Sullivan repeated on TV his regret over taking on-board this unspecified advice.
The seven-time world champion refused to disclose the name of the coach, saying: “I’m not going to say who it is. I don’t think it’s fair to say who it is.
“It’s probably the worst decision I’ve ever made in my snooker career in hindsight.
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“But I did it because I wanted to find improvement, you always want to improve.
“If I could turn the clock back, I would. It’s the worst thing I’ve ever done in snooker – and I’ve done some bad things in snooker before.”
O’Sullivan claimed he first realised how bad it was when he lost to Belgian Bullet Luca Brecel in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Snooker Championship – the moment he was dethroned as the reigning world champion.
He said: “I thought I could have played my way out of it, but it’s two years on and I haven’t.
“When I won this in 2020 I wasn’t great. I was still playing all right in spells so I thought okay, that was cool.
“Since Luca gave me a good hiding here it’s just been awful really.”
O’Sullivan plays Si Jiahui in the last eight over the best of 25 frames as he chases a historic eighth world title in Sheffield.
He added: “This week, I know I have to play a lot better. I know that.
“I’d have to start potting a few long ones. I’d have to start pinning them to the backrail a lot more. I’d have to really improve in those areas.”
World Snooker Championship 2025
WE are BACK at the Crucible for another thrilling fortnight of snooker action!
There will be a new champion this year after reigning champ Kyren Wilson crashed out in the first round after a stunning performance from Lei Peifan.
Ronnie O’Sullivan is eyeing a record EIGHTH World Snooker Championship crown, while World No 1 Judd Trump remains the tournament favourite.
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