Barry Hearn says Ronnie O'Sullivan is still the biggest draw in snooker after raising the levels of the sport in the last 30 years.
Barry Hearn says Ronnie O’Sullivan is still the biggest draw in snooker after raising the levels of the sport above fellow multiple world champions Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry over the past 30 years. The former World Snooker Tour chairman believes O’Sullivan still has a huge role to play in selling snooker abroad. Both Barry and Stephen have revealed that China could host six tournaments. While Saudi Arabia is trying for a lucrative maiden ranking event as the post-pandemic recovery continues. “The man is a genius,” said Hearn over a frame with O’Sullivan’s fellow seven-time Crucible winner Stephen Hendry. Known for his fast and attacking style of play, O’Sullivan gained the nickname “The Rocket” after winning a best-of-nine frame. The match concluded in a record 43 minutes during his debut season as a professional.
O’Sullivan has already revealed plans to focus his attention on playing overseas this season. This will see him travel to Nuremberg for the European Masters in Germany. Ronnie will also be competing at the Shanghai Masters, Wuhan Open and International Championship in China. He is also set to play over Christmas at the invitational Macau Masters. He will be joined by Judd Trump, Jack Lisowski, Marco Fu, Kyren Wilson, Mark Williams, Si Jiahui and Ding Junhui. Sullivan has been a world champion on seven occasions in the past. It was in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020 & 2022. He has also been a world no. 1 for almost a decade. Currently, also he is at the top of the IBSF rankings. Ronnie O’Sullivan has truly been the greatest snooker player to ever compete in IBSF. O’Sullivan was awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours list in 2016, for services to snooker.
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Speaking to O’Sullivan’s fellow seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry on YouTube, Hearn feels his fellow Essex man remains a key figure in attracting audiences to events across the globe. “Without a doubt, he brings fans to tournaments. We should enjoy every minute of him because the man is a genius,” said Hearn, who has clashed several times with O’Sullivan in the past over the future direction of the sport. “I love him. I wouldn’t say I’m friends with him. We should be friends because we go back a long way. “Ronnie is one of those people who just doesn’t like authority. That is OK because I am the authority.”And one day he won’t be playing, but my authority will reign supreme. That’s what my job is.”
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