Stephen Hendry has admitted he's worried about how snooker will cope when Ronnie O'Sullivan eventually retires.
The 48-year-old has been in devastating form in 2024 so far, winning the Masters and World Grand Prix with victories over Judd Trump and Ali Carter respectively.
With O'Sullivan unbeaten on British soil since October, he's also the favourite for the World Championship later in the year.
Hendry fears for snooker, however, once the Rocket opts to call it a day.
Stephen Hendry is fearful about the future of snooker once Ronnie O'Sullivan retires
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He's worried there's no fierce competition for O'Sullivan at the current moment in time, with nobody getting close to the veteran.
Therefore, he's concerned about how the sport will cope once O'Sullivan packs up his cue for good.
The Scot told talkSPORT: “Where are all the top players? Ronnie is dominating snooker right now, running all over it.
“The Selbys, the Robertsons, the Williamses… Even Trump couldn’t beat him.
"Who is going to stop him winning a world title?”
He continued: “It’s phenomenal. We have to applaud how he’s playing and the longevity.
“It’s incredible. Some of the snooker he played in the semi-final [of the Masters] last week was some of the best snooker I’ve ever seen.
"He’s raising the game to a new level.
“It worries me a bit if in four or five years’ time, if he does retire, who are the players who are going to take over?
"We say, ‘oh, snooker will survive’, but where is the next Ronnie O’Sullivan coming from?
"We’ve got to enjoy it while it lasts.”
O'Sullivan has admitted he sometimes struggles for motivation, having won every accolade during his snooker career.
Yet the Briton did recently confirm he had no plans on retiring.
"I'm always having to find reasons to play, saying I'll do it for this and that," he told ITV.
"I've never thought I actually really want to do this.
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"There have been moments I've been flying. And it's been great: And you think: 'I'm on top of the world'.
"There hasn't been enough good form. I feel like I've been playing on autopilot.
"I've been lucky to have had the last 10 or 12 years since I started working with [sports psychiatrist] Steve Peters.
"I feel very fortunate for that, but you get to my age and again there's always a reason to keep playing.
"There's lot of reasons to incentivise me to keep playing, but I'm not sure they're worth it anymore.
Ronnie O'Sullivan has won two tournaments in 2024 already with snooker icon still going strong
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"I'm not saying I'm going to retire, because everyone says when are you going to retire, I never said that word, so don't quote me on that.
"But I'm not enjoying my snooker, no.
"It's hard to walk away from it when you are still winning.
"That niggling voice in the back of your head, that makes you think if I can get my game half right, I'll stroll tournaments."
