O'Sullivan names three biggest influences on career including snooker legend

12 January 2023 , 16:40

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Ronnie O'Sullivan has named his three biggest influences (Image: Colin Poultney/ProSports/REX/Shutterstock)

Ronnie O'Sullivan has named the three most influential people in his career, including a fellow legend of snooker. During his remarkable career at the table, O'Sullivan has asserted himself as arguably the greatest player of all time.

With 15 maximum breaks, over 1,100 centuries and seven world titles the Englishman has dominated the sport during his career. And whilst many will look up to 'The Rocket' as an inspiration, he has himself has three figures who have helped fix him into the player he is today.

Speaking to Eurosport at this week's Masters Snooker, O'Sullivan was asked who the biggest influence of his career was and he listed three, including a fellow legend of the sport.

In his answer, the Englishman named the great Ray Reardon as one of his greatest influences. Like O'Sullivan Reardon is known as a snooker great and dominated the sport in the 1970's winning six world championships in that time.

Opening up on his work with the six-time champion, O'Sullivan said: "Ray Reardon brought a side to the game I never knew existed.

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Ronnie O'Sullivan named Ray Reardon has one of his big influences (PA)

"I learnt it and now I appreciate it and use it a lot, and when I have to." Along with Reardon 'The Rocket' also paid tribute to one of the sport's great coaches Frank Adamson, who sadly passed away recently.

He commented: "Frank Adamson who died last week [aged] 93. He changed my cue action in 2000. He got me a technique that was capable of winning a world championship basically." Finally O'Sullivan identified psychiatrist Steve Peters, who remarkably stopped the Englishman from walking away from the sport.

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Ronnie O'Sullivan is arguably snooker's greatest ever player (Getty Images)

"There is obviously Steve Peters. With helping me not quit basically whilst I'm out there. A lot of the time I would quit, didn't know I was quitting... not even quitting it was more about sabotage really. I was really good at sabotaging, didn't know I was doing it.

"Now I don't do that and it just makes me a tougher match player."

O'Sullivan is looking to keep his hunt for the Masters title going this afternoon, when he takes on Mark Williams at the Alexander Palace in London.

Joshua Lees