'He was strong in all departments' - Jimmy White feels Ronnie O’Sullivan should now think he is favourite for title

Jimmy White feels Ronnie O’Sullivan did enough in beating Mark Allen to believe he is now favourite for World Championship glory. O’Sullivan has one title to his name this term, but has produced some excellent snooker overall. Ad/> He eased past David Gilbert in round one and went up a gear to crush Allen 13-4.

World Championship'I have been given a gift' — O’Sullivan determined to keep fighting on biggest stage2 HOURS AGO It was impressive without being his very best, but White felt it was enough to make the six-time winner the man to beat at the Crucible. “He’s demolished Mark Allen,” White said in the Eurosport studio at the Crucible. ”I still think Ronnie O'Sullivan won easily because he was strong in all departments.

“He should be proud of himself and give him the confidence that he is favourite to win this tournament.” O'Sullivan determined to keep fighting on biggest stage Trump overcomes shaky start to share session with McGill Alan McManus feels O’Sullivan is not as good a player as he was earlier in his career, but says the six-time winner has compensated for that by sharpening up other areas of his game. “In my opinion Ronnie is not as good a player as he used to be all told,” McManus said. “But there are areas where he is super-polished, more so than he has ever been — especially in close.

“How many times do you see Ronnie go in and out of baulk off the blue? Hardly ever because the cue ball is neat and tidy, it’s polished, it’s always where it needs to be. “He uses words like deconstructing in terms of his game. That means he thinks about it, that he’s aware of it, that he’s aware that maybe he’s getting a little bit older so you have to tailor your game to suit what he’s got and that’s what he has done.” --