Ronald Antonio O'SullivanOBE (born 5 December 1975) is an English professional snooker player.[2] Widely recognised as one of the most talented and accomplished players in snooker history, he has won the World Snooker Championship seven times, a modern-era record he holds jointly with Stephen Hendry. He has also won a record eight Masters titles and a record eight UK Championship titles for a total of 23 Triple Crown 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.
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 the youngest player to win a ranking title. He is also the youngest player to win the Masters, having claimed his first title in 1995, aged 19 years and 69 days. Now also noted for his longevity in the sport, he is the oldest winner of all three Triple Crown events, having won his seventh world title in 2022, aged 46 years and 148 days; his eighth UK Championship title in 2023, aged 47 years and 363 days; and his eighth Masters title in 2024, aged 48 years and 40 days. As of 2024, he has made a record 32 appearances in the final stages of the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible, surpassing the previous record of 30 appearances set by Steve Davis.
O'Sullivan made his first competitive century break at age 10 and his first competitive maximum break at age 15. He 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 officially recognised maximum breaks in professional competition, with 15, and holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest competitive maximum break, compiled in a time of 5 minutes and 8 seconds at the 1997 World Championship.
During his career, O'Sullivan has experienced depression, mood swings, and drug and alcohol abuse. Known as a controversial and outspoken figure on the professional tour, he has been disciplined on several occasions by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association for his behaviour and comments. Outside his playing career, he works as a pundit for Eurosport's snooker coverage and has written crime novels, autobiographies, and a 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 in the 2023 documentary film Ronnie O'Sullivan: The Edge of Everything. He was awarded an OBE in 2016.
O'Sullivan began playing snooker at age 7 and soon became a noted amateur competitor, winning his first club tournament at age 9, making his first competitive century break at age 10,[3] and winning the British Under-16 Championship at age 13.[4] At the 1991 English Amateur Championship, aged 15 years and 98 days, he made his first competitive maximum break, then the youngest player ever to do so in a recognised tournament.[5] In the same year, he won the IBSF World Under-21 Snooker Championship and Junior Pot Black.[6][7]
After turning professional in 1992, aged 16, he won 74 of his first 76 qualifying matches,[8] including a record 38 consecutive professional victories.[5] He qualified for the televised stages of the 1993 World Championship, losing 10–7 to Alan McManus on his Crucible debut. He claimed his first ranking title later that year, beating Hendry 10–6 in the final of the 1993 UK Championship seven days before his 18th birthday to become the youngest-ever winner of a ranking event, a record he still holds.[9] In the following season, he won the 1995 Masters aged 19 years and 69 days to become 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 in professional competition. Compiled in a time of 5 minutes and 8 seconds, it remains the fastest competitive maximum break in snooker history, which is listed as a Guinness World Record.[11][12] He won his second UK title later that year at the 1997 UK Championship.[13] Despite these successes, his career also became marred by controversy in the late 1990s. During the 1996 World Championship, he assaulted an assistant press officer, for which he received a suspended two-year ban and a £20,000 fine.[14] After winning the 1998 Irish Masters, he was stripped 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 alcohol 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 defeated John Higgins 18–14 to claim his first World title and reached number two in the world rankings.[13] He won his third UK Championship later that year,[17] which helped him attain the world number one ranking for the first time in the 2002–03 season.[18] With veteran six-time World Champion Ray Reardon acting as his coach and mentor, he won his second World title in 2004, defeating Graeme Dott 18–8 in the final,[19] after which he held the number one ranking for the next two seasons.[18] He added his second Masters title in 2005, ten years after his first.[20] His behaviour became notably erratic in the mid-2000s as he battled clinical depression. During the 2005 World Championship, he shaved his head mid-tournament and exhibited what The Independent called a "public emotional disintegration" while losing 11 of the last 14 frames in his quarter-final defeat against Peter Ebdon.[21] At the 2005 UK Championship, he sat with a wet towel draped over his head during his match against Mark King.[22] Trailing Hendry 4–1 in their best-of-17-frames quarter-final at the 2006 UK Championship, he abruptly conceded the match during the sixth frame and left the arena. Hendry was awarded the match 9–1 and 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 almost three years.[17] He won his third World title in 2008, defeating Ali Carter 18–8 in the final,[23] after which he held the world number one ranking for the next two seasons.[18] He added his fourth Masters title in 2009.[17] After two poor seasons that saw him fall out of the top ten in the world rankings for the first time,[18] he began working with psychiatrist Steve Peters in 2011.[24] A resurgent O'Sullivan captured his fourth World title in 2012, defeating Carter 18–11 in the final, after which he paid tribute to Peters' work with him.[25] In the following season, he took an extended break from the professional tour.[24] Despite having played only one competitive match all season, he returned to the Crucible for the 2013 World Championship and successfully defended his World title, defeating Barry Hawkins 18–12 in the final.[26] In his 2014 Masters quarter-final against Ricky Walden, he set a new record for the most points scored without reply in professional competition, with 556,[27] and went on to beat the defending champion Mark Selby 10–4 in the final to claim his fifth Masters title.[28] At the 2014 World Championship, he reached a third consecutive world final, where he again faced Selby. Despite taking a 10–5 lead, O'Sullivan lost 18–14, his first defeat in a world final.[29] Later in 2014, he won his fifth UK Championship, beating Judd Trump 10–9 in the final. However, he declined to defend his title the following year and pulled out of the 2015 UK Championship, citing debilitating insomnia.[30] At the 2015 Masters, he made his 776th century break in professional competition, surpassing Hendry's record for the most career centuries.[31]
O'Sullivan after winning his fifth World title in 2013
O'Sullivan won two consecutive Masters tournaments in 2016 and 2017 for a record seven 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 titles 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 match, he made his 1,000th century break in professional competition, becoming the first player to reach that milestone.[33] He won his 36th ranking title at the 2019 Tour Championship, equalling Hendry's record and attaining the world number one ranking for the first time since May 2010.[34]
At the 2020 World Championship, O'Sullivan came from 14 to 16 behind in the semi-final against Selby to win 17–16. He then defeated Kyren Wilson 18–8 in the final to win his sixth world title. The tournament marked his 28th consecutive Crucible appearance, surpassing Hendry's record of 27 consecutive appearances.[9] He reached his 58th ranking final at the 2021 Tour Championship, breaking Hendry's record of 57 ranking final appearances,[35] but lost 10–4 to Neil Robertson. During the tournament, he made his 1,100th century break in professional competition.[36] He lost five consecutive ranking finals in the 2020–21 season, but ended a 16-month title drought by winning his 38th ranking title at the 2021 World Grand Prix.[37]
O'Sullivan defeated Trump 18–13 in the 2022 World Championship final to win his seventh world title, equalling Hendry for the most world titles in the modern era.[38][39] Aged 46 years and 148 days, he became the oldest World Champion in snooker history, surpassing Reardon, who won his last title in 1978 aged 45 years and 203 days.[40] O'Sullivan also surpassed Hendry's record of 70 Crucible wins, setting a new record of 74.[41]
O'Sullivan defeated Marco Fu 6–4 to win the 2022 Hong Kong Masters. The final was played before an estimated 9,000 spectators, the largest audience ever to attend a snooker match.[42] At the 2023 World Snooker Championship, O'Sullivan made a record 31st Crucible appearance, surpassing the previous record of 30 by Steve Davis.[43] He made his 200th Crucible century break and his 1,200th century in professional competition during his second-round match against Hossein Vafaei.[44] His reached the quarter-final, becoming the first player to compete in 100 matches at the Crucible,[45] but lost 10–13 to eventual winner Luca Brecel.[46]
At the invitational 2023 Shanghai Masters, O'Sullivan defeated Brecel 11–9 in the final to claim his fourth consecutive, and fifth total, Shanghai Masters title, extending his winning streak at the tournament to 18 matches since 2017.[47] He won record-extending eighth titles at both the 2023 UK Championship and the 2024 Masters, respectively defeating Ding Junhui and Ali Carter 10–7 in the finals. This extended his record number of ranking titles to 40 and Triple Crown titles to 23. Aged 47 years and 363 days when he won the UK Championship, and 48 years and 40 days when he won the Masters, he became the oldest winner of all three Triple Crown events.[48] He also became simultaneously the youngest and oldest winner of both the UK Championship and the Masters.[49][50] He won his 41st ranking title at the 2024 World Grand Prix with a 10–7 victory over Trump in the final,[51] and went on to win the invitational 2024 World Masters of Snooker, the first professional snooker tournament held in Saudi Arabia, defeating Brecel 5–2 in the final.[52] He signed a three-year ambassadorial deal with Saudi Arabia, which requires him to play in all World Snooker Tour events staged in that country, to establish a snooker academy in the Middle East, and to contribute to the development of the sport in the region.[53] At the 2024 Shanghai Masters, O'Sullivan lost 3–10 to Trump in the semi-finals, his first defeat at the tournament since 2016, after 20 consecutive match wins.[54]
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 his debut season as a professional.[55] A prolific break builder and great tactical player, he has stated his disdain for long, drawn-out games, saying that they harm the game of snooker.[56] O'Sullivan is ambidextrous, as he is right-handed but can play to a high standard with his left hand and routinely alternates when needed, enabling him to attempt shots with his left hand that would otherwise require a rest or spider.[57] When he first displayed this left-handed ability in the 1996 World Championship against Alain Robidoux, the Canadian accused him of disrespect and refused to shake hands after the match.[14][58]
Status
O'Sullivan is highly regarded in snooker, with several of his peers regarding him as the greatest player ever,[59][60][61][62][63] and some 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 a 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 calling him an "artist".[67] However, O'Sullivan himself has dismissed the suggestion that he is the greatest player and has identified Hendry as the greatest due to his domination of snooker.[68]
One of the most popular players on the circuit,[69] he is noted for being a "showman",[70] and is credited with helping improve the image of snooker with the general public.[64][71] He has often been compared with Alex Higgins and Jimmy White for his natural talent and popularity.[57] In December 2020, O'Sullivan was nominated for the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year Award, becoming the first snooker player to receive a nomination since Hendry in 1990.[72][73] He was nominated for a second time in December 2022.[73]
However, O'Sullivan sometimes lacks confidence or interest,[74] and has performed inconsistently throughout his career,[75] with observers noting the "two Ronnies" aspect of his character.[76][77]
Other sportsmen have publicly praised O'Sullivan with tennis player, Novak Djokovic saying: "I watch snooker because of Ronnie O'Sullivan".[78]
Criticisms of snooker
After Barry Hearn took charge of World Snooker in 2010, O'Sullivan became a vocal critic of how Hearn reconfigured the professional tour. He took issue with increased travel expectations, flat 128 draws that required 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 body 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 apparent protest over inadequate prize money for the achievement.[81] In 2018, he threatened to form a breakaway snooker tour akin to the split in darts.[82]
During the 2020 World Championship, O'Sullivan publicly criticised the standard of new players coming into snooker, stating that he would have to "lose an arm and a leg to fall out of the top 50".[83] He was also critical of the tournament organisers' decision to allow fans into the final during the COVID-19 pandemic.[84]
In 2021, O'Sullivan claimed on a podcast interview that most snooker players had wasted their lives. He called snooker a "bad sport" that can cause "a lot of damage", suggesting that the antisocial nature of solitary practice in a darkened environment can stunt players' personal development. He stated that he would not support his own children if they chose to become snooker players, and said that if he could live his sporting career over again, he would pursue golf or Formula One instead.[85]
Other endeavours
Broadcasting
Eurosport signed an exclusive deal with O'Sullivan in March 2014 to make him its global ambassador for snooker, with the goal of driving its international appeal.[86] As part of this deal, O'Sullivan created a special snooker series for the network called The Ronnie O'Sullivan Show, which included his insights into the game, interviews with other professional players, and playing tips. He also wrote for Yahoo! websites and mobile apps during the 2014 World Championship.[87] He frequently appears as a pundit on Eurosport's snooker coverage, alongside Jimmy White and Neal Foulds.[citation needed]
In 2015 and 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 with broadcasting friend Matt Smith, in which the pair toured different cities in the United States learning the art of pool hustling.[89]
Author
O'Sullivan at a 2014 book signing
O'Sullivan has written three crime novels in collaboration with author Emlyn Rees:[90]Framed (2016),[91]Double Kiss (2017),[92] and The Break (2018). Although the novels are not autobiographical, they are loosely based on his early experiences and family life.[91] He has also written two autobiographies. His first, Ronnie: The Autobiography of Ronnie O'Sullivan, was published in 2003; and his second, Running: The Autobiography, was published in 2013.[93] He has also co-authored a health and fitness book with nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert entitled Top of Your Game: Eating for Mind and Body. Published in 2019, it contains healthy recipes and advice for "living better, eating healthier and feeding your brain to enhance your performance".[94]
A documentary film titled Ronnie O'Sullivan: The Edge of Everything was produced by David Beckham's production company Studio 99, directed by filmmaker Sam Blair, and distributed by MetFilms.[96] The film premiered in London on 21 November 2023, and was released on Amazon Prime Video on 23 November. It highlighted the hardships he faced as a professional at the highest level of snooker, as well as how his personal life had impacted his career.[97]
Snooker course
In October 2023, O'Sullivan launched an online 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 final batch of episodes was released in March 2024.[99] The course has a cinematic production and was directed by Oscar-nominated director Gregg Helvey, and episodes are available in English and Mandarin Chinese.[99]
Personal life
O'Sullivan was born on 5 December 1975 in Wordsley, West Midlands,[100][74][101] the son of Ronald John and Maria (née Catalano) O'Sullivan, who ran a string of sex shops in the Soho area of London.[102] His mother is originally from Sicily, and O'Sullivan spent childhood holidays in the village near Agrigento where she grew up.[103] He was brought up in the Manor Road area of Chigwell, Essex, where he 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 Maria Catalano, who has been ranked number one in the women's game.[107] In 1992 his father was sentenced to life in prison for murder and was released in 2010 after serving 18 years.[108] His mother was sentenced to a year in prison for tax evasion in 1996, leaving O'Sullivan to care for his eight-year-old sister Danielle.[109] In 1995 he was banned from driving for a year and fined £1,200, as he returned from the International Open, in Bournemouth, after defeat in the 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 from a relationship with Jo Langley, whom he met at 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 engaged to her in 2013.[115] Rouass announced on social media 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 known for his perfectionism and for being highly self-critical,[119][120] even in victory.[121][122] Early in his career, he was treated 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 is also a close friend of artist Damien Hirst.[127] Noted for repeatedly declaring his intention to retire,[128] O'Sullivan took an extended break from the professional snooker tour during the 2012–13 season, during which he worked on a pig farm for several weeks.[129] He enjoys running,[130] and has achieved a personal best of 34 minutes and 54 seconds for 10 km races, which ranked him in the top 1,500 10 km runners in the UK in 2008.[131] He enjoys cooking,[132] and appeared on the BBC's Saturday Kitchen in December 2014 and February 2021.[133] He also enjoys motor racing, and has appeared on series 4 of Top Gear.[134][135] He is a supporter of Arsenal FC.[136]
Despite a self-professed interest in Islam, O'Sullivan denied media reports that said he had converted to the religion in 2003.[137][138][139][140] He has also espoused an interest in Buddhism,[141] having spent many lunchtimes at the London Buddhist Centre in Bethnal Green. He has said he does not have a firm commitment to any religion.[142]
In June 2023 he was the guest for BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs. An extended version of the programme was broadcast in October 2024. His book choice was Running with the Kenyans by Adharanand Finn, his luxury item was a painting set and his favourite disc was "That's All" by Genesis.[149]
lost in the early rounds of the tournament (WR = Wildcard round, RR = Round robin)
LQ
lost in the qualifying draw
DNQ
did not qualify for the tournament
WD
withdrew from the tournament
WDQ
withdrew from the qualifying tournament
A
did not participate in the tournament
DQ
disqualified from the tournament
NH
Not Held
event was not held.
NR
Non-Ranking Event
event is/was no longer a ranking event.
R
Ranking Event
event is/was a ranking event.
MR
Minor-Ranking Event
event is/was a minor-ranking event.
PA
Pro–am Event
event is/was a pro–am event.
^From the 2010/2011 season it shows the ranking at the beginning of the season
^New players on the Main Tour do not have a ranking
^The event was called the International Open (1992/1993–1996/1997) and the Players Championship (2003/2004)
^The event was called the German Open (1995/1996–1997/1998)
^The event was called the Grand Prix (1992/1993–2000/2001 and 2004/2005–2009/2010) and the LG Cup (2001/2002–2003/2004)
^The event was called the Players Tour Championship Grand Final (2010/2011–2015/2016)
^The event was called the Dubai Classic (1992/1993-1994/1995) and the Thailand Classic (1995/1996)
^The event was called the Asian Open (1992/1993) and the Thailand Open (1993/1994–1996/1997)
^ abThe event was called the China International (1997/1998–1998/1999)
^The event was called the European Open (1992/1993–1996/1997 and 2001/2002–2003/2004), the Irish Open (1998/1999) and the Malta Cup (2004/2005–2007/2008)
^The event was called the Charity Challenge (1994/1995–1998/1999)
^The event was called the European League (1992/1993–1996/1997)
^The event was called the Six-red Snooker International (2008/2009) and the Six-red World Grand Prix (2009/2010)
His first official maximum in 1997, completed in 5 minutes and 8 seconds, holds the record for the fastest maximum break achieved in competitive play. Initially, Guinness World Records recorded the time at 5 minutes and 20 seconds,[244] but subsequent evidence has suggested that the BBC started the timer too early on the break.[245] Depending on the timing methodology used, the break took between 5 minutes 8 seconds and 5 minutes 15 seconds;[11] both World Snooker and Guinness World Records now officially acknowledge the shorter time.[100]
O'Sullivan also holds the record for the total number of century breaks, compiling more than 1,200 in professional competition. He scored his 1,200th century in a second-round match against Hossein Vafaei at the 2023 World Snooker Championship.[246] At the 2022 Scottish Open, O'Sullivan scored a century in 3 minutes and 34 seconds—just 3 seconds slower than the fastest televised century break, made by Tony Drago in 1996.[247]
^ abcdTurner, Chris. "UK Championship". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
^ abcTurner, Chris. "Major European Tournaments". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
^Turner, Chris. "Other Asia Ranking Events". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
^ abTurner, Chris. "Scottish Open". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
^ abcdTurner, Chris. "Irish Masters". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
^ abcTurner, Chris. "Welsh Open". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
^ abTurner, Chris. "Northern Ireland Trophy". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
^Turner, Chris. "World Open". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
^Turner, Chris. "PTC". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
^ abcdefghiTurner, Chris. "The Masters". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 7 January 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
^ abcdTurner, Chris. "Scottish Masters". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
^Turner, Chris. "Team Events". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
^"Sports round-up: Snooker". The Daily Telegraph. London. 20 August 1988. p. 21.
^ abTurner, Chris. "Major Amateur Championships". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 12 May 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
^Turner, Chris. "Pot Black, Junior Pot Black". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
^"Declan's future looks bright". The Irish Press. Dublin. 23 August 1991. p. 60.
^"Lee 'star of the future'". South Wales Echo. Cardiff. 11 October 1991. p. 35.
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