Ronnie O’Sullivan ‘won the World Snooker Championship because he felt bad for the TV crew’
Ronnie O’Sullivan won his seventh world title this year, but only because he was trying to provide filmmakers with a show that chronicled his every move for an upcoming documentary, he claims.
In Sheffield this year, the Rocket drew even more attention than usual, with a film crew following him everywhere and even a microphone sewn into his vest to record audio during his games.
The documentarians followed the 46-year-old in the run-up to the World Cup and then got access to all areas during his time in South Yorkshire as he sauntered to a record-breaking seventh World Cup title.
The Rocket seemed as focused as ever as he brushed aside Dave Gilbert, Mark Allen, Stephen Maguire, John Higgins and then Judd Trump in the finale, and he says this was due to the documentary being filmed.
Despite his emotional reaction to getting his hands on the trophy again, the world number one hinted that he didn’t necessarily want to win the world title, but put in the extra work because the filmmakers were there.
“I decided a long time ago that if something was getting too much pressure, or I was like, you know what, I’m not really enjoying it, then it’s probably better that I lose and someone else has that seat,” O ‘Sullivan SNTV.
“And I felt that during this World Cup. I didn’t really enjoy it. But I had this film crew following me, so I thought I better try because they follow me.
“So that’s why I won it. It wasn’t because I wanted to win it. It was just that I felt sorry for the TV crew.”
O’Sullivan says he would prefer not to have the extra pressure that comes with returning to the top of the snooker tree, suggesting he would happily slip out of the spotlight from now on.
‘I don’t even like to talk about it Snooker,’ he said. “I like playing it, but I don’t really want to be involved in it.
“So obviously winning the World Cup turned everything around and everyone was like, ‘Ah, you’re world champion, number one in the world,’ I was like, oh no, I don’t want to be known as that person anymore.
“I just want to enjoy my life, you know, but when you’re in the spotlight, everyone gets excited. I’m like, I don’t really want to be that person anymore.’
Immediately after the final in Sheffield, O’Sullivan hinted that he was more focused thanks to the Crucible’s extra cameras, but it sounded more like excitement than unwanted pressure.
“It was a bit of a challenge I was up for and sometimes I like a distraction. It was a bit of a buzz,” he said.
“I’m good with pressure so having the crew around wasn’t a problem. In a way it might have inspired me. And things just seem to work – so I’m not surprised it ended up that way.
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https://metro.co.uk/2022/06/14/ronnie-osullivan-won-world-snooker-championship-because-he-felt-bad-for-tv-crew-16823165/ Ronnie O'Sullivan 'won the World Snooker Championship because he felt bad for the TV crew'