JUDD TRUMP has fuelled talk of Ronnie O’Sullivan potentially retiring soon from snooker by claiming: we won’t see him many more times.
O’Sullivan – the seven-time world champion – is missing from the Masters after pulling out last week on medical grounds.
PAJudd Trump has fuelled talk of Ronnie O’Sullivan retiring from snooker soon[/caption]
GettyTrump is hoping to continue his fine form with victory at the Masters[/caption]
The Rocket has entered the final stage of his professional career and perhaps now, more than ever, he is getting plenty of plaudits and accolades for his feats over three decades.
Trump, the 2019 world champion, said: “Because Ronnie is starting to miss more events, people realise that they might not see him that much longer.
“Maybe now is the time to appreciate what you have taken for granted for the last 20 or 30 years. When he’s missing an event, everyone notices.
“The world will always move on, there will always be other players coming through.
“But I think everyone realises that we’re at a point where we won’t see him many more times in some of the big events like the World Championship.
“You’re probably looking at the last five years of knuckling down and going for it.
“To be honest, it could be any point where one more World Championship and maybe he calls it a day.
“He maybe doesn’t have the same intimidating factor that he had. A lot more players are able to beat him.”
As for Trump, he has made a winning start to leg three of a possible ‘Trump Slam’ but claimed: My achievements are under-appreciated.
The Juddernaut, 35, is the undisputed star of this snooker season and leads the world rankings by a considerable margin over Crucible King Kyren Wilson.
The Bristol potter won the £500,000 Saudi Arabia Masters in September – branded as the ‘Fourth Major’ – and then triumphed at the UK Championship, which saw him bank £250,000 prize money.
If he wins the Masters this week in London – he beat Barry Hawkins 6-1 in the first round on Tuesday – he will head to the Worlds with three of the four top trophies on his mantlepiece.
Yet despite all this wealth and success, despite the fact he could complete a clean sweep of mega-money tournaments, there is a feeling he perhaps does not get the credit he deserves.
Asked if sometimes he feels undervalued, Trump replied: “I think now more than ever I am (under appreciated). For my age I’ve won a lot of events and achieved a lot of things in snooker.
“Winning the six ranking titles in a season (2019-20) gets forgotten about a little bit. I think it’s an extremely tough record to break.
“The amount of times I’ve managed to win four, five or six events in a season consistently.
“You’re only going back to Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry in the more recent times that have done that. Not even John Higgins or Ronnie O’Sullivan.
“I’m proud of myself for what I’ve achieved. I don’t need other people to tell me how great it is but it would be nice for people to recognise it. It’s probably something that happens when you retire.
“It seems to be the same in every sport. You’re not appreciated or people don’t realise what you’ve achieved until the end of your career.
“To win all four of those events would be absolutely incredible. Then I’d hope people would take me seriously! To try and get as many records as possible would be nice.”
Inside Ronnie’s colourful career
FROM his lightning breaks to blasts at officials, Ronnie O’Sullivan has fired snooker into the spotlight.
The seven-time world champion makes almost as big an impact away from the table as on it.
O’Sullivan has three children – two daughters and a son.
And the Rocket’s on-off relationship with British actress Laila Rouass has also hit the headlines.
He has opened up on battles with his weight and addiction.
While the controversial cueist reckons he wasted NINE YEARS of his career by partying too hard.
Despite being worth £14million, O’Sullivan is renowned for his love of canal boats and snubbing flashy cars.
His rivalry with fellow star Judd Trump has been branded ‘snooker’s greatest feud’.
And Ali Carter had his nose knocked out of joint by the Rocket in their infamous ‘Snotgate’ row.
Check out all our latest Ronnie O’Sullivan articles.
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