Ronnie O’Sullivan brushes off chance to equal Stephen Hendry’s world title haul

Ronnie O’Sullivan has shrugged off the prospect of equalling Stephen Hendry’s record of seven world snooker titles on the eve of his first-round match against former semi-finalist David Gilbert at the Crucible.

Newly reinstalled at the top of the world rankings at the age of 46, six-time champion O’Sullivan maintains he has no interest in making more history in the sport, insisting: “Seven, eight, nine, 10 – they are just numbers to me.

“I don’t get tied into all these records and stuff that everyone likes to talk about. Snooker is the least important thing in my life but it’s something I like to do. I am not going to turn (another) one down, put it that way.”

O’Sullivan, who pulled level with Steve Davis in the record books when he clinched his most recent crown in 2020, has been dealt the toughest possible opener against Gilbert, the world number 19 who reached the semi-finals in 2019, and who battled through two rounds of qualifying.

And O’Sullivan predicted the quality of this season’s qualifiers – which also include former UK champion Stephen Maguire and rising Iranian star Hossein Vafaei, could create “carnage” among the sport’s biggest names.

“I think anyone can win the tournament this year because there are so many good players,” added O’Sullivan.

I think the first round is going to be like Formula One going into the first corner. It's going to be carnage. There will be a lot of seeds going, guaranteed.- Ronnie O'Sullivan

“I think the first round is going to be like Formula One going into the first corner. It’s going to be carnage. There will be a lot of seeds going, guaranteed.

“Every first round match I have played in Sheffield has been hard. It is probably the hardest match you play all year. It gets easier