Rocket: I’m pleased that Selby is firing again
O’SULLIVAN CLAIMS HE, TRUMP AND LEICESTER’S EX-WORLD CHAMPION ARE THE SPORT’S THREE BIG NAMES
ROGER FEDERER, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic’s days dominating tennis are being mirrored by Mark Selby, Judd Trump and the world’s top snooker players, six-time Crucible king Ronnie O’Sullivan reckons.
O’Sullivan toppled world No.4 Kyren Wilson to claim the World Championship title in August and now lies one Sheffield victory away from Stephen Hendry’s record, writes Will Jennings of Sportsbeat.
The Rocket edged past Leicester’s three-time champion Selby 17-16 in a heart-thumping semifinal epic while world No.1 Trump, 18-time ranking event winner Neil Robertson, world No.10 Ding Junhui and Wilson continue to duel it out at the summit.
The current world No.2 is relishing Selby’s return to form and believes like tennis’ big three, ranking events will continue to be dominated by the globe’s leading players.
Asked if his old rival’s re-emergence as a force ahead of the UK Championship was a good thing, the 44-year-old said: “Yes, of course. For the fans at home watching I think it’s great for them to have as many top players playing well and competing against each other.
“It’s a bit like Nadal, Federer and Djokovic, isn’t it? When they’re all playing well, it’s always nice and tennis fans get excited. It’s the same for snooker.
“It’s the usual suspects, isn’t it? I suppose you’ll have your same five or six players for the next 10 years winning all the tournaments.
“Nothing’s really going to change – you’ll have the odd player coming through who will break into that top game but really you’ll have the same people winning.
“If you look at the last 10 years or so you’ll see a pattern, and that’s how it goes.”
O’Sullivan roared to his sixth Sheffield glory in the summer while Trump, the 2019 champion, got his 2020-21 season off to a flyer by becoming the first player since Stephen Hendry to defend a ranking event title twice at the Northern Ireland Open.
There, he beat O’Sullivan in the final for the third successive year after Selby, who reached the semifinals of the English Open and won his UK Championship opener on Monday, slumped to a second round exit.
Defeated Sheffield finalist Wilson continues to improve but O’Sullivan, who thrashed Irish amateur Leo Fernandez in his first round match at the UK Championship, said the world No.1 remains the man to beat.
“It’s up to some of the new guys that are coming on the circuit and players that are younger to try to come along, learn from him and try to compete with him,” he said.
“At the moment, it looks like he’s pretty much got it his own way and the only player that seems to be able to put up any sort of game against him is Neil Robertson. But even there, he seems to have the edge over Neil.
“Selby looks like he isn’t ready to let go yet, and obviously you’ve got Kyren Wilson who’s always trying to become a better player.
“I think they’re the people that are going to try to be hanging onto his coat-tails now.”
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