Interview

Telegraph & Argus Interview

Monique Interview, Snooker Legends event ,

Ahead of the third led of the Eleven30 series in Goffs , the “Telegraph & Argus” , from Bradford, have published this article .

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WHEN you have won five World Championships, six Masters and five UK Championships, you have probably earned the right to pick and choose your tournaments.

That is where Ronnie O’Sullivan – arguably the greatest snooker player ever – is at the moment.

‘The Rocket’, who plays Judd Trump in the Snooker Legends Eleven30 Series at Bradford’s Richard Dunn Sports Centre next month, has had enough of feeling he has to get on the treadmill that the snooker circuit can be.

O’Sullivan admitted: “I feel like a goldfish swimming backwards and forwards about in a bowl. I want to get to the ocean. Do you know what I mean?

“I want some diversity in my life, such as exhibitions and my TV show, but it is all about controlling your emotions and I have them more under check these days.

“But having said that, I don’t always feel like practising, as I have been doing it for 25 years and I am 40 now.

“It depends how the mood takes me. I could practise for an hour, an hour and a half or anything up to four hours, and it is good in the sense that I can switch my phone off, get away from everything and relax, but I don’t want to feel that I am forced to do it.”

O’Sullivan and former world No 1 Trump are playing a six-match best-of-11 frame series for a winner-takes-all prize of £30,000.

Ex-UK champion Trump took the early lead with June victories in Frimley Green (6-5) and Belfast (6-4) and there are rounds at Goffs, County Kildare tonight and Peterborough (September 3) before the final weekend in Bradford (September 10) and Preston Guild Hall (September 11).

O’Sullivan turned professional in 1992, so has competed against the best players in the world for two-and-a-half decades, and brackets Trump in a small group of the most talented players over that period.

He said: “You are looking at Stephen Hendry, Jimmy White, John Higgins, Paul Hunter and Judd who, like me, can take a frame away from their opponent so quickly that they are like rabbits in the headlights.

“Judd and myself have a 30-second shot clock in the Eleven30 Series but, to be honest, we probably don’t need it as we play so quickly – and that is what the crowd want. They want to be entertained, they want to leave the arena feeling happy.

“John played in a more methodical fashion than the high-tempo snooker of the others but of those five, Hendry was the hardest – he was mentally unbreakable.”

When you are likely to have to play a rival in the latter stages of a tournament, O’Sullivan says there is no point in getting too close to them.

He explained: “You are not going to be best mates with someone and then face them in a final. It just doesn’t work like that as you need to have that edge, like Phil Taylor, Rafael Nadal and Noval Djokovic have in other sports.”

Having said that he does not necessarily want to play in a welter of tournaments in the new season, ironically O’Sullivan has quite a busy schedule.

He said: “I have entered three Chinese tournaments and three European tournaments, as well as playing in the UK and the World Championships, where I might even have to qualify, but that’s okay as Ding Junhui got to the world final as a qualifier.”

A total of 1,200 tickets for the O’Sullivan v Trump clash at the Richard Dunn Sports Centre, which is co-promoted by MJK Sports Events, have already been sold but 200 remain.

Tickets cost £25 and £35 and can be purchased on 07414-960956 to avoid booking fees.

Doors open at 4pm and, in addition to the 11 frames, there will also be an exhibition by six-times world runner-up Jimmy White at 5pm and trick shots and entertainment from former UK champion John Virgo at 6.45pm, with the main event starting at 7.30pm.

Co-promoter Mick Speight, who is a Bingley-based former snooker professional, said: “I can remember playing at the Richard Dunn against Jimmy in 1996, so it is really special for me to be holding it there again with Jimmy, John, Ronnie and Judd.”

I’m not sure about the third Chinese tourbnament though … unless Bucharest is now part of China. Hum … but it’s good to read that Ronnie intends to play in the UK Championship and the World, even if he has to qualify.

Interview with Ronnie ahead of the Cluj exhibitions this week-end

Monique Interview

Ahead of the exhibitions in Cluj this week-end, Ronnie gave a short interview to the Romanian media. This is the link to the original article in Romanian.

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And here is an automatic translation of the interview, not perfect by any means, but still understandable.

Ronnie O’Sullivan, snooker star world, sent a message of greeting from Cluj fans and not only demonstrative before matches that will be played in the presence of other big names caliber in the event snooker Titans Cluj Trophy, which will take place on 18-19 June at the Polyvalent Hall of Cluj. In a brief interview, he sent his greetings to his fans, answering, some questions of the organizers.

Ronnie, is that the third visit you are doing in Romania in the last seven months. How do you feel here?
Everyone makes me feel so good here, I’m glad I played a role in promoting snooker in Romania.
We are just days away from the event in Cluj, which is your message for fans waiting to see you on 18 and 19 June?
I heard so much about how beautiful the Transylvania keep Europeans are here in October and it is fabulous that you have a chance to visit. See you Saturday and Sunday at the biggest show of snooker.
Curiosity about Ronnie
– Which is?
Favorite singer?
Ian Brown.
Favorite country to visit?
Romania, of course.
The great thing about snooker?
Break building.
The great thing when you’re snooker player?
Traveling all over the world.
If I had to choose another profession?
Chef.
Accessory or lucky charm that you have a long time?
My watch, a gift from the mother at the age of 21 years.
What makes you laugh the most?
Funny people.
The greatest personality that you want to have dinner?
Ayrton Senna.
Favorite movie of all time?
Shawshank redemption.
A hobby that you’ve taken recently?
Boxing.
Your favorite food?
Fish.
Music instrument that you would like to play?
Piano.
What are you reading now?
Magazine, mainly about health and fitness.
If you had a superpower, what would it be?
Power to change evil into good.

Ronnie … in conversations

Monique Interview

Ronnie was at the Crucible theatre in Sheffield yesterday … without his cue!

Indeed he was being interviewed by Simon Hattenstone, in the context of the Sheffield Doc/Fest festival,  about documentaries and films that inspired him, both in his career and in everyday life.

Simon and Ronnie go a long way back, as Simon is the person who helped Ronnie in writing both of his autobiographies. Simon is a regular writer for The Guardian and is well known for his in-depth interviews with artists, sportspersons and occasionally politicians.

It seems that the evening was a great success, judging by reactions on twitter. Here is a selection … so you can judge by yourself!

Brendan Boyle ‏@boylie1977

It’s standard, but as if Ronnie needs an introduction, especially here @crucibletheatre of all places @ronnieo147

@ronnieo147  @crucibletheatre  without a cue?  @sheffdocfest Strange but great to see. Great evening!

Ryan Finnigan ‏@sicryan

Great to finally meet @ronnieo147 today. His perfectionism, honesty and poetic snooker have long been an inspiration

Mark Ansell ‏@MarkAnsell

Loved seeing The Rocket @ronnieo147 playing clips of his favourite sport docs at @sheffdocfest including Senna & Ali

Emma Wright ‏@EmmaWright24 

@ronnieo147 great to see you in a totally different way tonight! #inspiration #@ronnieo147 #dropsofjupitar

Miss B ‏@sarahblythe147

What a fabulous evening @sheffdocfest listening to @ronnieo147 Could have listen to you all night Ronnie… Really interesting! Loved it x

@ronnieo147 thanks for the pic and autograph…top man staying back to see everyone! 👍

Emma Keeling ‏@emke 

@ronnieo147 Hi Ronnie, really enjoyed seeing you @sheffdocfest tonight. Going to watch the film Senna on your recommendation 👍

Terplife ‏@BSLterplife

When you interpret on stage for your hero and they’re just wonderful. #whataday #bsl #interpreting  💗🙌 @ronnieo147

Docfest2016-BSL

Kate Atkinson ‏@KayteMay 

@ronnieo147 as candid as ever. Enjoyable interview at Sheffield Doc Festival.

Liam Buxton ‏@liamb1981

@ronnieo147 Really enjoyed your talk tonight! The wife is over the moon.

Koulla Anastasi ‏@koulla 

Rapturous applause and whooping for the legendary @ronnieo147 #sheffdocfest

It’s great to read that Ronnie had time for everyone after the show as well.

I’m not surprised that he cited Ayrton Senna and Mohammad Ali as sources of inspiration. Both were more than just great champions and winners, they were characters, with flair and panache and never afraid to speak their minds.

If I can find a more detailed account of what Ronnie spoke about, I will of course publish it. The show was interpreted to BSL (British Sign Language) to allow hearing impaired persons to enjoy it.

Meanwhile here are a few pictures taken by the fans and published on twitter:

Ronnie O’Sullivan OBE and, yet, “undercooked”

Monique Interview, Media ,

Yesterday, Ronnie recieved his OBE at Buckingham Palace, as reported by various media, this particular excerpt being from the Daily Mail

Ronnie O’Sullivan enjoyed a royal welcome on Friday as he collected his OBE at Buckingham Palace, supported by Footballers Wives actress and partner Laila Rouass.

The Rocket, a five-time world champion, was handed his gong by Prince Charles at the formal investiture, having been named on the New Year Honours list in December.

O’Sullivan, who said he was not deserving of such an award two years ago, wore a dark suit and black tie to the event on a bright and warm afternoon in the capital.
Afterwards, he posed for photographs with Rouass. The former Holby City star, who became engaged to O’Sullivan in 2013, posted a message on Twitter which read: ‘A proud day’.

O’Sullivan’s mother, Maria, was also at the event to see her son pick up his award.

The snooker star said it was ‘surreal’ to be at the Palace and one of the best moments of his career.

Despite his nerves, O’Sullivan said Charles made him feel so at ease that at first he forgot to address him as ‘Sir’.

He said: ‘Winning world titles is great – and don’t get me wrong, they are special moments – but I didn’t expect to feel how I feel.’

Pictures published on various social media, including Ronnie’s FB page

And here you can watch and listen to Ronnie’s interview on the occasion: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/embed/video/1289170.html

Ronnie also spoke to the media about how inadequate preparation was at the root of his early exit at tha World Championship. This excerpt is from sportinglife

The five-time Crucible champion and tournament favourite suffered a surprise second round defeat to Barry Hawkins at Sheffield.

O’Sullivan thinks his lack of competitive action in the build up to the Championship was to blame for the early exit and has vowed to play in more tournaments to become match-sharp for next year.

The 40-year-old, who received his OBE for services to snooker from the Prince of Wales on Friday,  said: “I probably wouldn’t change much other than just to play a few more tournaments.

“It’s like making a dish – you have to get the right balance of the right ingredients and this year I probably played too many exhibition matches, but for those exhibition matches I was scoring well and potting well.

“So maybe play a little bit less exhibitions and a few more tournaments, and then once you get the right balance then I have got the right attacking, right defensive game, and then I’ll be better equipped to win tournaments if I’m not playing at my best.

“It’s very difficult to win when you’re not at your best. Probably Mark Selby is one of the only players that can do it, but if I’m playing at 70, 80 per cent then I’m still capable of winning tournaments.”

O’Sullivan said of his OBE: “Winning world titles is great – and don’t get me wrong, they are special moments – but I didn’t expect to feel how I feel.”

He hopes to have another decade at the top of the game.

“I won’t beat myself up, I look forward to the next season and the next World Championships,” he said.

“If anything the standard now, a lot of the older players are doing better now than they used to, so hopefully I have got another 10-odd years.”

 

Ronnie speaks to Desmond Kane after his last 16 defeat

Monique Eurosport, Interview, Media , ,

After his defeat to Barry Hawkins on Monday night, Ronnie spoke to Desmond Kane, from Eurosport,  and here is the interview

Ronnie O’Sullivan put a brave face on losing 13-12 to Barry Hawkins in the last 16 of the World Championship by vowing to redouble his efforts to win a sixth title at the Crucible Theatre in 2017.

The five-times champion and tournament favourite was edged out by fellow Englishman Hawkins in the final match of the second round after recovering from trailing 12-9 to force a deciding frame with stirring breaks of 124, 88 and 63 only to come up agonisingly short.

It was a match O’Sullivan felt he could and probably should have won having lost several close frames that could easily have gone the other way amid some of his usual heavy break-building that also included runs of 139, 88, 103, 68, 118, 82, 89, 93 and 70.

Astonishingly enough, it was Hawkins’ first win over O’Sullivan since 2002 and only his second in 12 matches. Hawkins’ reward is a quarter-final meeting with Marco Fu of Hong Kong on Tuesday and Wedneday as the push for a £330,000 first prize is fought out between eight men.

“I was competing in the potting and the big breaks, and all of that side of it,” O’Sullivan told Eurosport.

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“That is always the side you need to have right if you have any hope of competing in the tournament.

“I just didn’t compete in the safety game really, and I probably lost it a little bit in the first session when I was trailing 5-3.

“It is always tough going behind early in the match. I probably felt I had the better of it, and was maybe a bit hard done by to go 4-4 in the second session.

“Tonight I found a bit of form towards the end, probably had the better of it, and felt a bit hard done by the way the last frame went.

“It was probably one of those matches I was never going to win, but I’m pleased I stuck at it, competed and made him earn it.”

Hawkins slotted a red into a baulk pocket before compiling 56 to set him up for a rare win over an opponent who overcame him 18-12 in the 2013 world final and drubbed him 10-1 in the Masters final in January.

“It was a shot to nothing, “said O’Sullivan. “He wasn’t leaving anything on if he missed, but it was a good pot and he made a good 50-odd break. All credit to Barry, and I wish him well for the rest of the tournament.”

O’Sullivan – champion here in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2013 – feels his game is holding up well at the age of 40, having won the Masters and Welsh Open since the start of the year.

Stephen Hendry is the most prolific winner in the modern era with seven titles in the 1990s with Steve Davis and Ray Reardon both on six respectively.

“Listen, at the moment, I’m absolutely devastated to have not got through,” he said. “25 appearances here, five wins, so that is a one-in-five shot. This year it wasn’t meant to be, but I look forward to coming back here.

 “I think my best form here was in 2012, 2013 and 2014. I think in those three years, I was as strong as I’ve ever been.

“I’ve still nicked a couple of tournaments this year and last year, and I feel like I’m not doing too badly for a 40-year-old.”

After he moves on from the frustration of losing in the second round for the first time since 2009, O’Sullivan is planning a trip to America over the summer months to film a documentary on the game of pool.

“I’m looking forward to a few more exhibitions, a trip to Romania, a bit of holiday time and a nice three-week trip across America,” he said.

“I’m doing a travel log programme. I’m going to New York, Chicago, Memphis and New Orleans. It is a bit about pool and local pool players are going to show us around the area.

“We’re going to have fun, bounce around America and have a bit of a laugh.”

Great, Greats and Greatest …

Monique Eurosport, Interview, Media , ,

Who is the greatest? What does it take to be a great? Those questions have probably triggered more heated debates on the social media than any other theme.

Well here is Ronnie’s take on it.

First in an interview with Shamoon Haafez from BBC he explains what he thinks makes a player a “great” and why he believes he is in that category. Here are excerpts of the article:

Ronnie O’Sullivan says his combination of winning and entertaining the crowd means he should be considered one of snooker’s greats.

“That is what makes me unique and separates me from the others,” O’Sullivan, 40, told BBC Sport.

“Watching sport, I am a winner’s man but I like to be entertained too. You have hit the jackpot if you have both.”

….

“I am not saying I am the greatest – that would be too big-headed to have as an opinion of myself. I will leave that for other people to decide,” added world number six O’Sullivan.

“If I was to stake my case for reasons why I should be considered as one of the greats, I would like to think I entertain the fans like Jimmy White and Alex Higgins did, being the fans’ favourite.

“I have also done what Stephen Hendry and Steve Davis did, which is dominate and claim world titles and be a winner.

“I can possibly reach 36 ranking events – that’s winning two a year if I play for the next five years. I could do that, which is more realistic than winning seven world titles.”

Next, on Eurosport, he picked his “greatest” for each and every aspect of the game…

You can watch the video here

For those who don’t know them, his two unsung heroes are the ladies at Worldsnooker who tirelessly look after the players needs, bringing them drinks, finding bowties when the players forget theirs (Ronnie is a regular culprit), sewing logos on waistcoats last minute … you name it! And always with a smile.

Ronnie’s recipe to boost his chances: his close friends

Monique Interview, Professional snooker tournament ,

Speaking to Hector Nunns Ronnie explains how he will rely on his close friends only to help him through this World Championship

Ronnie O’Sullivan confident his inner circle can help him win sixth world title

RONNIE O’SULLIVAN is confident the ‘Three Amigos’ in his corner can help him to a sixth world title.

By Hector Nunns / Published 15th April 2016

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GETTY – THREESY DOES IT: Ronnie O’Sullivan has cut down his team to just his inner circle

The Rocket is a hot favourite to lift the Betfred World Championship trophy at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre, which starts today.

O’Sullivan, 40, starts his campaign tomorrow against former potato farmer Dave Gilbert.

But O’Sullivan revealed he has slashed his trusted entourage to Dr Steve Peters, Damien Hirst, and Chinese takeaway owner ‘Kenno’.

The Essex-based chef has two restaurants, in O’Sullivan’s home of Chigwell and Chingford.

And O’Sullivan, who has cantered to victory at the Masters and Welsh Open this year, says he relies heavily on all three of his back-up team.

He said: “At times with me it can become a bit of a circus with all the people who want to be there, at the Masters and the Crucible.

“I don’t need it. Now it is just my inner circle, Damien, Steve and my Chinese mate Kenno. I don’t want anyone else around me.

“At times I have had about 15 people in my dressing room in Sheffield, and you have seen the size of them.

“Kenno is like a spiritual healer, he is one of the calmest blokes in the world, and one of my best mates. He’ll be here for a match or two if I progress.

“I don’t want anyone around who is draining me of my energy, or who wants something from me, a signed ball or a waistcoat, then it’s over.

“Damien has never asked me for anything. Steve Peters has never asked for anything. Kenno has never asked me for anything, they are there for the right reasons.

“I have an inner circle, they are people I would trust with my life, who have got my back 24/7 for the right reasons.

“I have made a lot of mistakes over the years by being too open, but I am more selective now – more like Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry were.”

O’Sullivan, whose last win was three years ago, admits that good pal Jimmy White lived tournament life swamped by well-wishers for years and that it may have cost him Crucible glory.

He added: “Jimmy was more like me, he had a dressing room full of 20 to 30 people because he didn’t know how to say no, and maybe it didn’t help him.

“When you’re flying everyone wants to be there, when you’re not they are gone. Damien is there for the whole thing, he feels what I am feeling.

“So if a load of people turn up for a final, they don’t know what it has been like in the goldfish bowl and don’t know what buzz I am on.

“I don’t talk very much about past defeats – but last year was a bad loss for me to Stuart Bingham, I wasn’t in a good frame of mind.

“The Selby final the year before, I think I should have won it. Again I was trying to keep everyone happy off the table, I should have said ‘No, no, no – I am here to play a tournament’.”