Snooker star makes 'awful' Ronnie O'Sullivan remark as Rocket continues break from sport

Snooker star makes 'awful' Ronnie O'Sullivan remark as Rocket continues break from sport

WATCH NOW: Ronnie O'Sullivan lifts an eighth Masters title

Lewis Winter

By Lewis Winter


Published: 31/01/2024

- 08:12

Updated: 31/01/2024

- 08:13

Robertson says O'Sullivan has been winning despite being way below his top level

Neil Robertson claims Ronnie O'Sullivan has played 'pretty awful' this season despite winning the last three tournaments he has entered.

Robertson insists the seven-time world champion has relied upon his opponents messing up rather than him being better than them at the table.


O'Sullivan has won the first two Triple Crown events of the season, triumphing at the UK Championship and the Masters.

His win at the Masters was a record-extending eighth victory, while he backed it up by winning the World Grand Prix just a week later.

Neil Robertson and Ronnie O'Sullivan

Neil Robertson claims Ronnie O'Sullivan has played 'awful' despite winning his last three tournaments

WST/Getty

The 48-year-old is currently on a break from competing and pulled out of the German Masters to protect his 'health and wellbeing'.

O'Sullivan has often lambasted his own performances despite winning 15 matches in a row since last November.

He insists he is not enjoying playing despite winning and feels a break is needed before he prepares for the World Championship in April.

2010 world champion Robertson has struggled so far this season but is through to the third round in Berlin this week.

Following his win over namesake Jimmy Robertson on Tuesday, the 41-year-old said that snooker success is not always based on how well you play.

And he pointed to O'Sullivan's performances, claiming he has got a reputation for being hard to beat despite not being at the top of his game.

Robertson told WST: "You can get very comfortable and complacent when you’re just cruising into the last 16, quarter-finals, with your opponents falling over the line.

"We’ve probably seen that with Ronnie recently, let’s have it right he’s played pretty awful, but he’s been able to keep winning because people keep missing blacks off the spot, pinks off the spot.

"He’s gained that reputation of being unbeatable this season even though he’s played awful.

"He’s even talked about it himself, he’s almost laughing about it, people just can’t put him away.

"That has gone from me now, where people are putting me away if I’m not playing well, so I just have to play well.

"I’m not focused on if my opponents are playing the match of their life. If they’re playing the match of their life then I’ve done something wrong.

"I’m just really focused about getting the best out of my performances and controlling everything I can do, which is really super hard work, eating well, sleeping well, diet, physical exercise.

"There's absolutely no stone that's going to be unturned from now for the rest of the season."

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Neil Robertson

Neil Robertson has struggled so far this season

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O'Sullivan mocked his rival players during his run at the Masters.

He claimed they were unable to beat him even though he was struggling with several physical issues.

O'Sullivan said: "I don't feel that old. I know my age is, but I feel young in my mind, I feel young when I'm round the table.

"I feel a lot younger around the table than I do when I'm playing these young players, they look old!

Ronnie O'Sullivan

Ronnie O'Sullivan is taking a break from competing professionally

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"Their brains are quite slow, so for me, I still feel like my brain is still pretty quick around the snooker table, which is enough.

"They need to get their acts together because I'm going blind, I've got a dodgy arm and bad knees - they still can't beat me!"

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