WE’RE OLD CUES!
O’Sullivan admits winning titles is now tougher for veterans like him & Higgins
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN believes it’s getting harder for the likes of himself and old foe John Higgins to win titles.
The Rocket and Higgins turned professional together alongside Mark Williams in snooker’s very own Class of 92 and have dominated the green baize ever since.
But titles have dried up for the legendary trio with runaway world No.1 Judd Trump, triple world champion Mark Selby and 2010 Crucible king Neil Robertson regularly in the winners’ enclosure.
All-conquering Scot Higgins, 45, agonisingly lost Sunday’s Masters final to Chinese upstart Yan Bingtao.
“It’s getting harder for us to win tournaments now,” admitted O’Sullivan.
“You’ve got three or four players around now, the likes of Judd Trump, Mark Selby, Neil Robertson, Mark Allen and Ding Junhui. They’re all in their prime so it’s really hard for any of us to win tournaments now.
“I’m not saying we won’t win titles but they’re not going to come around as much as they used to.”
O’Sullivan, Higgins and Williams are understandably on the decline as age catches up with them.
But glimpses of the old magic are still there.
The Rocket roared to his sixth world title last season yet Higgins is in the midst of a three-year title drought, while Williams hasn’t lifted a trophy since the 2018 Crucible final win over Higgins.
O’Sullivan added: “As you get older the mountain just gets a bit harder to climb.
“If you’re a player like me, John or Williams if you win one then you’ve got to cherish it.
“There are too many good young players and they’re hungry.
“There’s not just one or two of them, there’s a queue a mile long.
“It’s like going to Waitrose trying to get in, that’s what it’s like with players trying to win tournaments now.”
Meanwhile, Perth potter Scott Donaldson plays in the brand new Pro Series tomorrow.
World No.17 Anthony McGill is in action on Friday,
Fellow Scots Alan McManus and Fraser Patrick are in the same group on Saturday and former world champion Graeme Dott gets underway on Monday.