I’d need to lose an arm to fall out the top 50...
Young players so bad Rocket says winning is easy
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN insists it’s no surprise snooker’s Class of 92 are still going strong because the sport’s young guns are just useless.
The Rocket beat China’s No.1 Ding Junhui 13-10 at the Crucible last night to keep hopes alive of a first world title for seven years.
Five-time champion O’Sullivan, 44, was pushed hard by this season’s UK Championship winner but became the fifth former winner into the last eight.
He now faces three-time champion and world No.3 Mark Williams, 45, who like O’Sullivan turned professional 28 years ago along with John Higgins.
Breaks of 61, 60, 101, 90, 89, 73, 87, 73, 60, 117 and 93 were enough for O’Sullivan to avenge defeats by Ding in Sheffield three years ago and at this season’s UK Championship.
O’Sullivan said: “Would I have believed in 1992 Mark and I would still be playing in these matches? Probably no.
“But when you look at the standard of play, then yes.
“If you look at me and Mark and John, the younger players coming through are not that good really.
“Most of them might only do okay as half decent amateurs.
“They are so bad, a lot of them I think ‘You’d have to lose an arm and a leg to fall outside the top 50’. That’s maybe why we are still hovering around!
“I spoke to Steve Peters. When I go out there my mind is clear, focused on the job.
“In a Buddhist way, it’s being in the present.
“It’s a different experience this year, but it’s so much easier to get in and out of the venue.
“Normally that’s why I don’t like this tournament, it’s such a headache, getting in and out.
“I am virtually spending most of my time here running away from people, trying to escape.
“You want to play snooker and the situation has allowed people to get on with their job, and not play hide and seek.
“Listen, of course it’s better with fans, of course, it’s like playing in a morgue, but it’s also like a village feel, and the players are more relaxed.
“For top players it can be a nightmare. It puts you off wanting to come here, I’d rather go and play in Crawley, that’s had bad it is.”
Aussie ace Neil Robertson criticised the poor playing conditions despite booking his place in the last eight.
The former world champion was frustrated with how the humidity made him work extra hard for a battling 13-9 win over Barry Hawkins.
Robertson said: “It’s very humid out there and it does not feel like playing at Sheffield.
“The table is playing very heavy, it feels like playing in Asia and it is tough to screw the ball back. The organisers need to create a cooler environment in the Crucible when the humidity is high.
Englishman Kyren Wilson, who received a bye into the second round when Anthony Hamilton withdrew, held off a spirited fightback to beat qualifier Martin Gould 13-9 and now faces Judd Trump.
Wilson said: “It will be good fun, I’ve been looking forward to playing Judd here.
The youngsters coming through might do okay as half-decent amateurs RONNIE O’SULLIVAN