Ronnie O’Sullivan’s sponge-like qualities have been hailed by his fellow seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry, who admitted he has struggled to be coached over his profession.
O’Sullivan and Hendry are broadly thought-about the 2 best snooker gamers of all-time, sharing the file for many Crucible titles and with the Scot (36) solely behind the Englishman (39) on the all-time record of rating title wins.
They’ve had very totally different careers, although, with Hendry’s seven Crucible crowns coming between 1990-99, whereas the Rocket’s have spanned 2001-22 and he nonetheless stays in rivalry so as to add extra to his CV.
There are additionally loads of variations of their video games, with Hendry noting that he succeeded when doing every little thing his pure, instinctive manner and felt that some teaching might have value him later in his profession, whereas O’Sullivan soaked up optimistic elements for his sport.
Chatting with Michael Holt about teaching and method on his Cue Suggestions channel, Hendry stated: ‘I couldn’t let you know one factor technically. I’ve had 4 coaches in my profession and every time it’s like, “do I actually perceive that?” Quite a lot of it goes over my head.
‘I typically assume, would I’ve been alright with out…I had my first coach Frank Callan as a result of I didn’t assume my lengthy sport was adequate to compete with the likes of Steve [Davis]. I may pot balls clearly, however [couldn’t] constantly depend on my lengthy sport.
‘So he introduced a pause into my backswing, however I don’t know whether or not…I bought deceleration on the finish of my profession, I name it the yips, and I don’t know if that got here from the pause.
‘[O’Sullivan] He’s like a sponge, he takes issues in from in every single place.’
Holt, a rating occasion winner who now works as a snooker coach, stated one in every of O’Sullivan’s nice traits is his means to study from others, however solely take what’s a optimistic to his personal sport and ignore something that would hamper him.
‘Ronnie’s a large snooker geek, he is aware of every little thing. He’s like a robotic,’ stated the Hitman.
‘What he’s wonderful at is disregarding the stuff that he’s not concerned about and trusting what he believes in after which he simply goes on the market and performs, which is a expertise in itself.
‘In the end that’s why he’s performed for thus lengthy as a result of he is aware of every little thing about his sport.
‘I believe that’s the place the subsequent stage may come from, gamers shall be extra conscious of what they do and the way they do it. Disregard the myths.’
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