'He's a better player than me' - Ronnie O'Sullivan hails 'unbelievable talent' in snooker who is 'amazing'

Snooker legend Ronnie O'Sullivan has lauded the «unbelievable talent» of rising star Zhao Xintong, who he says «is amazing to watch». The Rocket has been practising with the 25-year-old, although he has been clear to state that «I can't coach him». Perhaps surprisingly, he declared that «he is a better player than me; he is a better potter than me».

Ad/> Zhao clinched his first ranking title at the UK Championship last year, and O'Sullivan believes the Chinese player has all the talent he needs to be a superstar in the sport going forward. World ChampionshipWorld Championship qualifiers — Latest results, scores, scheduleA DAY AGO «Listen, I think the guy is an unbelievable talent, he really, really is,» O'Sullivan told Eurosport in an interview ahead of the World Championship. «It is just amazing to watch him play.

He has the same problem I had years ago, and that is consistency. Finding that level that you need to never really drop below. I think that is going to be the thing he needs to work on over the years to develop as a player.

»I got so much joy out of spending time with him on the table. I cannot coach him. He is a better player than me; he is a better potter than me.

The nature of the game is to pot balls, but we share ideas. I learn from him; he learns from me. I get a lot of pleasure from helping him.

«If he can take one thing from it, he will run with it and learn from it. But I've also said, there are so many people out there that you can learn from. Just keep developing as a player, keep learning.

»You have to take the best parts of the best players' games and try to incorporate them into yours. I think he is going to do well; I think he can do very, very well. He is an amazing player." The Rocket will