Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins and Mark Williams remain in a class of their own

This Sunday, come what may, will mark the 18th time in 25 years that at least one of snooker’s ‘Class of 92’ has made the final of the World Snooker Championship.

John Higgins, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark Williams have the type of longevity as a trio that makes the Bee Gees look like one-hit wonders and, unless the reinvigorated Judd Trump can spoil the party, it will be a case of ‘you win again’ for one of them.

Since turning pro, and before this season, they have chalked up 28 Crucible semi-finals, 19 finals and 13 world titles, and here we are again, all three in the last four of snooker’s greatest show on earth. At least two of those above numbers already need to be updated. Staggering.

It is so easy to say, well, it’s only snooker isn’t it? It hardly compares to the rigours of football or rugby. They wear suits, for goodness sake, and the most exercise they get is grabbing their extensions.

True, it is not ripping cruciate ligaments and shattering ribs, but the mental strain of snooker is different to physical sports.

The endless hours of indoor practice and competition, the constant hotel hopping, dark rooms, the absence of family, the solitude and a constant struggle with an art form than can seem so easy one day and so bloody impossible the next all leads to common issues when it comes to the six inches between the ears. All three have had their problems, all three have had their wilderness years. Williams described himself as a ‘journeyman’ before winning his epic third world title in 2018, Higgins has hinted at retirement more times than Frank Sinatra and O’Sullivan, well, he went to work on a pig farm.

I don’t want to get too deep but I admire any player for managing to stick with this sport for so long, even more