Ronnie O’Sullivan is not sure whether he is ready to delve into the ‘dark places’ that he did last year to win a seventh World Championship title as he returns to the Crucible to defend his crown.
The Rocket is looking to become the first player of the modern era to win eight world titles and is favourite with the bookmakers to do just that.
12 months ago he pretty much strolled through a very tough field, comfortably beating Dave Gilbert, Stephen Maguire, Mark Allen, John Higgins and Judd Trump to lift the trophy.
After downing Trump in the final he memorably gave his opponent an incredibly long hug, then was uncharacteristically emotional in his post-match interviews.
Asked if he expected another such wave of emotion if he won again this year, O’Sullivan said: ‘I dunno, I doubt it, I dunno. Last year I was just exhausted, it was hard.
‘Last two tournaments [World Championships] I’ve won I’ve been exhausted afterwards, towards the end it tires me out.
‘Covid [2020] was easier, but last year was tough and I didn’t even have any hard matches last year, I won quite easy, but it was still tough.
‘When I was younger, 2008, 2012, ’13 I remember winning it, going home and feeling fresh as a daisy, thinking I could do it again.
‘Last two times I haven’t been able to. I sat indoors, had to wait two weeks before I felt normal again. It takes a lot more toll on me physically and mentally, it’s harder.’
O’Sullivan spoke of the ‘dark places’ he now has to go to in order to triumph at the Crucible last year, and said he only did so in 2022 because a documentary was being filmed during the event.
‘I promised myself that I would never go to the dark places the tournament requires you to go to because it is such an endurance test mentally, more than physically,’ he told Eurosport in August last year.
‘I checked out about eight years ago so I kind of play snooker for fun. I am still competitive because I am a competitive person, but I had to dial it down a lot just to enjoy it more for longevity reasons.
‘I have found a way to enjoy it, but part of the enjoyment was to not go to those dark places.
‘The only reason I did go to the dark places was because we filmed a documentary so I was forced to actually try because the cameras were following me everywhere.’
Ahead of the defence of his title, beginning on Saturday against Pang Junxu, the obvious question is: will he be going back to those dark places to try and win an eighth title?
‘I don’t know, I’m not sure,’ he said on the eve of the 2023 tournament. ‘I’m in a good place, I’m enjoying myself, I’m happy.
‘I’ll give it my best, try my hardest, but so will 31 other players here. So it’s not all in my hands, sometimes your destiny is out of your own hands.
‘You’ve got to rely on a bit of luck, someone missing a key ball at a certain stage. There’s so many little things, twists and turns, you’ve just got to be on it and hopefully your time comes.’
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