Ronnie O'Sullivan has given rare praise to his snooker rivals by insisting there are 'a lot of fantastic players' on the tour.
The Rocket has often downplayed the quality of his opponents but has shown his true colours while speaking at the Tour Championship this week.
O'Sullivan is enjoying a hugely successful season having won five tournaments, including the first two Triple Crown events.
He triumphed at the UK Championship last December before winning at the Masters in January, both being record-extending eighth victories at the respective competitions.
Ronnie O'Sullivan has given rare praise to his snooker rivals
ITV
During his run at the Masters, O'Sullivan hit out at the quality of players he was facing.
He brutally said: "Their brains are quite slow. 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!"
However, O'Sullivan has now changed tack and has heaped praise on the levels of some of his rivals.
He faced Gary Wilson in the semi-final of the Tour Championship on Friday.
Wilson has had a good 18 months, winning three ranking titles in that time.
But O'Sullivan says he is not surprised it has taken the 38-year-old so long to hit the most successful period in his career.
He claims the level of player on the tour means you need luck on your side to be victorious.
O'Sullivan told ITV: "Not really [surprised]. It's not easy, it's not easy to win tournaments, it's not easy to win quarter-finals of tournaments.
"It's a tough circuit, there's a lot of fantastic players there.
"Pretty much anyone can beat anyone of their day so sometimes you have to rely on a bit of luck that your opponent doesn't play well and you get through them matches and things pan out for you.
"Sometimes you need a little bit of luck and things to go your way."
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Ronnie O'Sullivan is competing at the Tour Championship this week
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This week's tournament is the last action for O'Sullivan before he heads to the Crucible for the World Championship later this month.
He will be looking to win a record-breaking eighth title in Sheffield.
The 48-year-old says he prefers the format of the Tour Championship because fewer players enter.
He added: "I just think with the 32-man (or less) format it sort of allows the tournament to be good in all areas.
Gary Wilson stands in Ronnie O'Sullivan's way of another final at the Tour Championship
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"You can get a good venue, the practice facilities are right. It just feels right. 128 just feels a bit too much and hard to get into it.
"So I think an event like this, I just feel a bit more ready to go from the start. I love these tournaments, I really do."
