Stephen Hendry believes that Ronnie O’Sullivan has been inspired by Mark Williams as he makes a strong comeback this season. O’Sullivan had a challenging season in 2024/25, withdrawing from several tournaments abruptly after a cue-smashing incident in January.
As mentioned earlier, the 49-year-old is participating in fewer events this season. However, whenever he has competed, O’Sullivan has shown a rejuvenated and focused performance.
During the Saudi Arabia Masters, O’Sullivan impressively scored two maximum breaks in one match on his way to the final, where he narrowly lost to Neil Robertson. He also displayed good form at the Xi’an Grand Prix, reaching the quarter-finals before being defeated by Gary Wilson.
Mark Williams, a member of the ‘Class of 92′ like O’Sullivan, recently made history by becoming the oldest winner of a ranking tournament at 50 years and 206 days, surpassing the previous record set by Ray Reardon in 1982.
Hendry commended Williams’ relaxed approach to the game, attributing it to his ongoing success. The snooker legend noted that this mindset seems to have influenced O’Sullivan positively.
In a conversation on the WST’s Snooker Club podcast, Hendry praised Williams for maintaining a high level of play despite minimal practice outside of competitions. He lauded Williams’ ability to stay composed regardless of wins or losses, stating that such mentality sets elite athletes apart from their opponents.
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