Ronnie O'Sullivan reveals last snooker goal before retirement after Chinese Grand Prix win

Ronnie O'Sullivan

Ronnie O'Sullivan has his sights set on one more prize

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Callum Vurley

By Callum Vurley


Published: 21/08/2024

- 17:27

Rocket Ronnie has already won everything you can in snooker - but he has his sights on one more prize

Ronnie O'Sullivan has revealed he has one more goal left in snooker before finally retiring following his victory at the Chinese Grand Prix.

Rocket waltzed into the last 16 of the tournament in Xi'an after beating Wang Yuchen, Bulcsu Revesz and most recently Yuan Sijun.


But winning the whole competition is not what is motivating the 48-year-old to keep going in snooker, where he is argued to be the best player of all time.

O'Sullivan has insisted that he is desperate to win the World Championship one more time before hanging up his snooker cue.

Ronnie O'Sullivan

Ronnie O'Sullivan has set his sights on one more prize in snooker

PA

He currently has seven world titles, which sees him tied with Stephen Hendry for the most World Championship titles in the modern era.

O'Sullivan won the World Championship for the first time in 2001 before going on to lift the trophy six more times in 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020 and 2022.

Going clear of his rival would mean a lot to him and would be the perfect end to his glorious career.

"I don’t have to win any tournaments anymore, I’ve had a great career, an amazing career," O’Sullivan said.

"I suppose if there is one thing I would love to do is to win another World Championship, that would be eight and I’d have every record there is in snooker to have.

"I’m equal with Stephen Hendry which is still a great achievement, it would be nice to have them all.

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"Then that would be a dream story I suppose, for me, to look back at my career and say, I’ve done okay."

O'Sullivan and Hendry might be tied for World Championship titles but when it comes to ranking events, Rocket is clear with an incredible 41 compared to the Scotsman, who still has a very respectable 36 - placing him second.

While O'Sullivan has experienced little trouble in Xi'an so far during the Grand Prix, he has not been impressed by his own performances.

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Ronnie O'Sullivan

Ronnie O'Sullivan wants to win the World Championship one last time

PA

"I don’t lack self belief, I know what I’m capable of, that’s why I’m so hard on myself," he added.

"I expect really, really high standards. I don’t expect to win but I’ve won a lot so that suggests I’m capable of winning a lot.

"You always want to find some consistency. If I can play like that 50-60 per cent of the time then I’ll win a lot of tournaments and be very happy with a smile on my face.

"Whereas the last two years I’ve won a lot of tournaments but I’ve not really enjoyed it.

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"For me the key is to enjoy the game, especially at this stage of my career, and I’m looking for ways to make that happen.

"I’ve started to play more left handed because I really enjoy it and hopefully within that process I’ll be able to find some form with the right hand.

"If it comes, great, if it doesn’t, then you just have to keep plugging away, keep persevering and find whatever it is out there."

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