Snooker droopy
HOW RON RISKED SEEING GLORY GO UP IN SMOKE
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN admits he came close to retirement 12 years ago – a decision that would have seen him miss out on four of his seven world titles.
And the Rocket is also convinced problems with drink and drugs plus various other issues cost him 10 years of prime career performance.
O’Sullivan may have missed out on the chance of a record eighth world title at the Crucible after a quarter-final defeat to eventual winner Luca Brecel.
But he remains the world No.1, and but for those 10 lost seasons he would have been out of sight of all rivals in terms of silverware.
O’Sullivan, 47, said: “Retirement was in my mind when I was about 35, because I thought you were meant to be done and dusted at that age.
“But then I just got better. I met Steve Peters, and got my head right. And from there I started winning more and I have been more successful in those last 10 years.
“But at 35 Stephen Hendry had kind of finished his career. Steve Davis had finished his career, so I thought it was going to happen to me – but obviously it hasn’t yet.
“Covid probably helped me in that regard, because it enabled me to focus back on snooker. I have attention disorder so if something is better over there, I neglect my snooker.
“But Covid stopped that, so I just had to focus on practising and won two world titles in three years. Obviously for me there was massive gaps where I lost six, seven years to drinking and taking cannabis.
“Then there was maybe another four years later where I was dealing with stuff away from the table.
“I wasn’t focusing on snooker, I suppose everybody has them problems, but there are 10 years where I didn’t really do much. I didn’t have the right headspace to win.
“Going to rehab taught me that happiness is an inside job, which I truly believe. And since that moment, in 2000, I have always believed that.
“I’ve had a few lows, when I was clean as well. The obvious ones were putting on a lot of weight, I was dependent on drinking and wacky baccy just to get through the day.
“I lost my personality, lost my confidence, I felt like I needed to take substances just to feel like I could socialise.
“You get clean and become a little bit awkward in social situations, so anxiety began to affect me.
“It was weird, I had to learn how to do all the stuff again, it took time. But once I got there I’ve realised you have to carve out a different life for yourself.”