The first person in his mind for snooker is..., O'Sullivan transforms into the spokesperson for Shanghai City Walk
With a solid head, which accentuates his emaciated cheeks, 48 year old Rocket O'Sullivan's charisma remains undiminished, making him a popular player at the 2023 World Snooker Shanghai Masters. As the defending champion, O'Sullivan certainly wants to continue showcasing his king style in front of the arena, but in addition to the game, the relaxed state of mixing cocktails and strolling on the streets of Shanghai also shows fans that the once capricious "bad boy" has become a warm "middle-aged uncle".
The Shanghai Masters is the first stop of the new season for O'Sullivan. On the 12th, O'Sullivan defeated Ali Carter and advanced to the quarterfinals. On the 14th, O'Sullivan will have a "old friend dialogue" with Higgins, who are also known as the "75 Three Heroes". During the break from the competition, during a conversation with reporters, O'Sullivan shared his feelings about traveling to Shanghai and also mentioned that his ideal first person for snooker was Stephen Hendry.
Shanghai is one of O'Sullivan's favorite cities. During his stay in Shanghai, he specially filmed a city promotional video. Starting from the World Reception Hall on the North Bund, O'Sullivan first took a photo with the "Three Piece Set" in Pudong, which is separated by a river. Then he went to Huaihai Middle Road, checked in at the Wukang Building, and had a pleasant cup of coffee; Finally, we arrived at Xujiahui Sports Park, where the Shanghai Sports Center is the venue of the Shanghai Masters, which is both familiar and unfamiliar to O'Sullivan. Because this was his first time visiting the renovated Xujiahui Sports Park, and watching the lively sports atmosphere, he couldn't help but pick up basketball to join the crowd of athletes.
In September 2019, O'Sullivan achieved three consecutive championships at the Shanghai Masters, becoming the player with the most wins at the Shanghai Masters with four championships. After returning to Shanghai many years later, O'Sullivan was delighted to use the Shanghai Masters to promote Shanghai. "For all snooker players, this event is very important on their schedules. Shanghai is also one of the world's famous cities, and I am delighted to be able to promote this city and promote this event."
Replacing practice with competition, O'Sullivan's goal is certainly to become a champion. He said that he was still a bit nervous in the first game and only regained some form in the final stage. "This is one of my favorite events, one of my favorite cities, and I really hope to play well here, which is important to me."
As the number one snooker player in the minds of many players, who are the top five players in snooker history in O'Sullivan's mind? O'Sullivan quickly announced five names, "Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis, Joe Davis, Ray Ridton, and John Higgins."
Regarding the upcoming match against Higgins, O'Sullivan smiled and said, "I have put Higgins on the list of five great players, and it is obvious that he is very impressive. He has played very well this season, and his performance in Shanghai is outstanding. Only by playing well can he gain an equal competitive position in the game."
During O'Sullivan's career, he announced his retirement several times and then made a comeback. In the 2022 World Snooker Championships, O'Sullivan was crowned the world champion for the seventh time, breaking the record for the oldest world championship.
How long will the Rockets accompany fans? O'Sullivan predicted, "If we can maintain a good form, I think we can play for another 6 to 8 years."
