No sympathy from Rocket

Ronnie O’Sullivan has absolutely no sympathy for the players he has scarred over the years.

The ruthless Rocket, 48, has dished out plenty of beatings during his three-decade-plus reign at the summit of the sport.

World No. 1 O’Sullivan is bidding to land a record eighth World Championship at the Crucible.

It would complete a season Triple Crown for the first time in his illustrious career having already pocketed the UK Championship and Masters this term.

He faces Welsh qualifier Ryan Day in the last-16 today, who says the memory of his

2006 defeat – at the same stage – to O’Sullivan here left wounds.

Asked if he is sympathetic, O’Sullivan replied: “No. It’s the nature of the sport and it’s what you’re involved in.

“It’s quite unforgiving out there. It’s really tough on the tour, I took a lot of poundings over the years as a junior and amateur, it just makes you stronger.

“I know it’s tough, no matter where you are there’s always someone chasing you and you’re trying to stay ahead of the next guy it’s very competitive.”

Four-time ranking-event winner Day has failed to beat the Rocket since way back in 2011.

He squandered a decent 9-7 lead against O’Sullivan during that 2006 defeat on the game’s greatest stage.

And Day, 44, admitted: “I was a lot younger, less experienced, only the second time I played here. I remember being 9-7 up and then I got ahead of myself and was thinking here’s a chance to beat O’Sullivan on the biggest stage.

“I remember there were a couple of shots. One in particular, I had a free ball and miscued on the pink, jumped it and it went off in the corner pocket. From there the wheels came off.

“An inexperienced me at that time couldn’t deal with the situation. But I’m longer in the tooth. I know I have a mountain to climb, but I’ll enjoy it.”