Rocket is a World leader

STEPHEN HENDRY fears Ronnie O’Sullivan could turn this year’s World Championship into “a procession”.

‘The Rocket’ equalled a record jointly held by Hendry, Mark Selby and Ding Junhui on Sunday night by winning a fifth ranking title in the same season.

Five-time world champion O’Sullivan, 42, is now on 33 ranking titles in total, just three shy of another of Scot Hendry’s records.

After the 10-4 win over Shaun Murphy in the Players Championship final, O’Sullivan (right) insisted he is playing as well as at any time in his 26-year pro career.

O’Sullivan will be hot favourite to win a sixth world title at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre next month.

Should he lift the trophy again, then Hendry’s record of seven world titles will also come under serious threat.

Hendry, 49, said: “Ronnie is throwing down a gauntlet to the rest. We know that sometimes he struggles with the 17-day slog in Sheffield. It is a different and unique tournament.

“But at the moment, if he keeps playing like this, it is looking like the Crucible could be a procession.

“Nobody at the moment is stepping up on a regular basis.

“Only three players – John Higgins, Mark Selby and Judd Trump – genuinely think they can beat Ronnie, especially over a longer match.”