DOMINIC DALE cannot see Ronnie O’Sullivan winning a record eighth Crucible crown – because he feels he lacks longevity for the Sheffield marathon event.
O’Sullivan, 49, has been champion of the world on seven occasions and is tied with Scotsman Stephen Hendry on the number of snooker Championships.
Ronnie O’Sullivan won a seventh world snooker title in 2022 to tie level with Stephen HendryAFP
The Rocket kickstarted his season with an appearance at last month’s Shanghai MastersAlamy
Last May, the sport’s GOAT reached the semi-finals of the World Championship but was crushed with a session to spare by Chinese superstar Zhao Xintong.
Earlier this year in Leicester, the Rocket smashed up his favourite cue in a moment of rage and, as he searched for a replacement, he limited his playing time and withdrew from several tournaments.
O’Sullivan, who turns 50 in December, returns to action on Tuesday in the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters in Jeddah.
But former pro Dale – who retired from the professional ranks at the end of the last season – cannot see a fairytale finish to his career, especially as he enters his sixth decade on the planet.
Asked if O’Sullivan will win an unprecedented eighth world title, the cueist known as Spaceman, 53, said: “No. But I will qualify that if I may – I certainly think that he can.
“He would have to do it in the next couple of years.
“But you know, the standard of play, you only need a couple of bad sessions and Ronnie will have a couple of bad sessions, he seems to anyway.
“I don’t know if he has the longevity in him to play the full 17 days and to keep winning to lift that eighth world title.
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Dominic Dale retired from professional snooker at the end of last seasonGetty
The Welshman was a colourful character during his potting careerNews Group Newspapers Ltd
“The other consideration you have to throw into the melting pot I suppose – would he find a cue that he was able to play as well with?
“Because, of course, he broke his previous cue back in January. He had had that since 2012.”
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