With two of his main competitors raising doubts about his performance this season, Ronnie O’Sullivan will make his comeback to the table at the Players Championship today. At the Telford International Centre, O’Sullivan faces Zhou Yuelong in the last-16 after abruptly withdrawing from last week’s Welsh Open due to anxiety.
The 48-year-old is on the verge of capturing all three Triple Crown tournaments in the same season after winning the UK Championship and Masters. His absence from Llandudno hasn’t dimmed the shine on his stellar season. Starting on April 20, he will have the opportunity to attempt an unprecedented trifecta in the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield.
In the 2023–2024 season, O’Sullivan also won the Shanghai Masters and the World Grand Prix, but Neil Robertson stated last month that the World No. 1 was producing results despite his inconsistent form: The Australian told WST, “Let’s be honest, Ronnie has played pretty bad lately, but he’s been able to keep winning because people are missing blacks off the spot, pinks off the spot.”
“Despite playing poorly, he has developed the reputation of being unbeatable this season. People really can’t put him away; he’s even discussed it and is practically laughing about it.”
While Robertson isn’t qualified for the Players Championship, Mark Selby is, and he’ll face Barry Hawkins in the opening round on Wednesday. Additionally, he now supports Robertson’s remarks, claiming O’Sullivan’s aura is collapsing opponents.
“You can tell he’s playing well right away if you draw Ronnie in a comp because he’s won the last three tournaments,” Selby said to Metro. “While I concur with Neil, I don’t believe he has performed at the best level in many of the competitions. However, he is the one who established that aura with his professional accomplishments.
