Ronnie O'Sullivan has 'something else going on' as icon eyes more World Snooker Championship glory

O'Sullivan has previously won the competition seven times, with his first victory coming all the way back in 2001.

His last triumph was in 2022 and O'Sullivan, if he wins the crown for an eighth time, will move one clear of Stephen Hendry.

Davis won the tournament six times himself prior to retiring back in 2016.

And the 66-year-old, speaking to the Metro, has claimed O'Sullivan has 'something else going on' compared to his rivals because of his remarkable ability.

"It’s so hard to try and judge eras because each era does benefit from the standard of previous eras," he said.

"That’s the evolution of the species, so to speak.

"I think what would be fascinating is if all the multiple champions in the snooker world had all been born at the same time.

"That would be fascinating.

"But I do think Ronnie is on another wavelength. It’s not just because he’s a great player, there’s something else going on.

"I’ve said before, he’s the only player where I’d like to know what pictures he’s seeing.

"I’d love to know if he sees the game the same way as I did when I was behind the shot and summing it up.

"If he’s something like Tommy the Pinball Wizard, as if he’s more at one with the table and sort of organically tied to it more than other people.

"That for me is why he’s the ultimate genius we’ve ever had."

Davis admits that anyone is capable of beating anybody.

But he does feel O'Sullivan is on a different level, adding: "Obviously others on their day can beat anybody.

"John Higgins on his day, Mark Williams, Stephen Hendry, me on my day, anybody can beat anybody, but I still think he’d have his nose in front at the very least.

"He’s got the X Factor above us. We all had an X Factor but he’s got more, he’s XXX!

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"If anybody had come from another planet to take it to another level, that would be Ronnie O’Sullivan.

"It’s hard to think how anybody could really have any more talent than Ronnie O’Sullivan.

"He’s the closest I’ve ever seen to the ceiling of what is humanly possible.

"Ronnie O’Sullivan has such a good B Game, even though some people don’t think that of Ronnie.

"He’s got a fantastic temperament for playing great snooker.

"It always takes a great performance to knock Ronnie O’Sullivan out of an event. If you show weakness he becomes stronger.

"It takes the performance of say Mark Williams last week [in the Tour Championship final] or Luca Brecel last year, pulling rabbits out of a hat for the whole match.

"There will be a lot of expectation on him winning the eighth. If anyone can handle the pressure put on his shoulders then he can, but it still makes it slightly more difficult because of the expectation levels.

"Not that he’s worried so much about what people think about things, but even from friends and family and people around him, he’ll get a sense of, will he do it? Can he do it?"