Legendary Player Seeks Eighth World Title Within Two Years

Ronnie O’Sullivan, the world's most successful snooker player with seven titles to his name, has declared that he will aim for an eighth. The 50-year-old is level with Stephen Hendry in terms of achievements but says he may only have two more opportunities to claim the record-breaking title.

  • After opening his 2026-27 season at the Shanghai Masters, O’Sullivan vowed that if he doesn’t manage it this year or next, his chances will vanish forever.

The former world champion is currently 12th in the world rankings due to reduced tournament participation and only top 16 players qualify for major events like the Crucible. Despite this challenge, O’Sullivan asserts he won't enter qualifying matches: 'I'm not going to play qualifiers. You won’t be seeing me go down to Barnsley trying to win qualifying matches.' He believes if he faces qualification, his career will end.

Face Mental Demands of the Game

O’Sullivan addresses the mental toll of competing at such a high level: 'I have to be realistic. I’m 50 now and if I play for two hours I then have to lie down for two or three hours. It is very hard for me.' He adds, 'OK, you don’t have to run around a football pitch but mentally you have to concentrate.'

Recent Performance

O’Sullivan kicked off his season with a 6-1 win over Liu Linhao at the Shanghai Masters. He later concluded matches with breaks of 73, 71, 75 and 55 as he overcame initial difficulties. Other notable victories included Zhou Yuelong beating Mark Selby 6-5 and Barry Hawkins narrowly defeating Lei Peifan 6-4.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Ronnie O’Sullivan make it to the Crucible?

O’Sullivan says he will try his best but given the current rankings system, there is a real possibility that he might have to enter qualification matches. If this happens, his career at the highest level could likely end.

Is Ronnie O’Sullivan considering retirement soon?

No, he aims to extend his career for another two seasons and reassess in 2028 before making any decision on future plans.