O'Sullivan says Ding not 'snooker slave' but warns of world title misery
Last updated on: 07 August,2020 07:34 am
O'Sullivan warned Ding Junhui that he should be braced for world championship disappointment.
LONDON (AFP) - Ronnie O Sullivan praised Ding Junhui for not becoming a "snooker slave" but warned the Chinese star that he should be braced for world championship disappointment.
The two players meet in an eagerly-awaited second round clash at the Crucible in Sheffield with 33-year-old Ding looking to eventually go one better than his 2016 runner-up spot.
"If Ding looks at his career, he ll say he s probably got a great balance - he s been super successful on the table, but he hasn t been a slave to the sport," said O Sullivan, a five-time world champion.
"I m a little bit in that bracket where I like to enjoy my life. There s always a trade-off. I like to be healthy, live a good lifestyle and that means I can t play in every tournament otherwise my lifestyle wouldn t be how I d want it.
"Ding probably falls into that category as well. He gets really excited by the really big tournaments, but probably doesn t want to be on the road 24/7. He drives his own car in many ways, and I respect that."
Ding won the pair s last Crucible clash in the last eight in 2017 but O Sullivan fears the Chinese star may never add a world title to his haul of 14 ranking crowns.
"I m sure he d love to get his hands on the world title, but each year you get older, it gets harder," added O Sullivan.
"Some players can play well into their 40s like me and John Higgins and Mark Williams, but we re exceptions to the rule."