17 April 2023 , 07:32
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Ronnie O'Sullivan has revealed the most famous person in his phone book is... Barack Obama!
The Rocket is a household name in the UK, but many fans will be shocked to discover his ties to the former president of the United States of America. Obama watched the great O'Sullivan dominate snooker from the White House between 2008 and 2016.
While Obama was once arguably the most powerful man on the planet, he's never dominated in Sheffield like O'Sullivan has. The seven-time world snooker champion is aiming to win an eighth crown at the Crucible this year as the game's No.1 ranked player.
O'Sullivan and his fellow snooker professionals were asked by Eurosport who the most famous person is in their phone book, outside of snooker. Most of them were quite reasonable answers, with 2005 world champion Shaun Murphy naming Michael Owen.
Three-time world champion Mark Williams said Tom Jones, while 2019 winner Judd Trump said Mason Mount. Neil Robertson, who won at the Crucible in 2010, also went with the football theme by naming John Terry and Thibaut Courtois.
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Four-time world champion Mark Selby raised eyebrows when he said Nicko McBrain, the drummer from Iron Maiden. Yet no one was prepared for O'Sullivan's answer. The seven-time world champion looked straight into the camera and said: "Barack Obama."
Remarkably, Barack Obama is (apparently) the most famous person in Ronnie O'Sullivan's phone bookWho's the most famous person in your phone book? Let us know in the comments below!
It's unclear whether O'Sullivan was being serious, but there's no doubting his glamour. The Englishman is arguably the greatest snooker player of all time after winning seven world titles with an entertaining and uncompromising brand of the sport.
O'Sullivan won his first world title in 2001 and his most recent last year. The Essex-based star will become the most successful player of the modern era - in terms of world titles - if he wins an eighth crown this year, eclipsing Stephen Hendry's tally of seven.
O'Sullivan made a solid start to his 2023 campaign by beating Junxu Pung 10-7 on Saturday. Former champions Stuart Bingham and Robertson have also progressed from the opening round, while two-time runner-up Ali Carter was knocked out by Jak Jones.
"I felt shaky, heavy and desperate," O'Sullivan told BBC Sport after his opening-round victory. "Sometimes you have to get through those situations.
"Stephen Hendry won the World Championship here with a broken arm. I've got a bit of a bug. It feels like glandular fever, which I had a long time ago.
"It just saps all the energy out of you but you fight - it's a World Championship isn't it? I'm relieved it's over. My legs and limbs have gone. I was so desperate to get over the line in every frame. I am so tired and I can't wait to get back to my bed."