John Higgins and Ronnie O’Sullivan will face off at the Masters this weekend (Image: Getty)
Former English snooker star Neal Foulds believes that will get a rousing reception at the Ally Pally on Sunday despite the fact he’s playing in the Rocket’s backyard.
The two snooker heavyweights, who boast 11 world titles between them, will get the Masters underway with a mouth-watering showdown this weekend. And Essex-based O’Sullivan is expected to enjoy the fierce support of the London crowd.
But Foulds is sure that Scotsman Higgins will also get a warm welcome due to the excitement of snooker fans attending one of the year’s standout events.
“Even John Higgins on Sunday – a Scot in London playing hometown hero Ronnie O’Sullivan – will receive a terrific reception,” Foulds wrote for . “And so he should.”
The Masters will see the world’s top 16 players battle it out for a £350,000 top prize and a coveted Triple Crown title. And it could be a story of whether the wiley veterans can outlast the young guns.
“All three members of the Class of ’92, Ronnie, John and Mark [Williams], turn fifty this year,” Foulds continued. “Age is just a number, this trio keeps proving that, but in the cold light of day, it’s quite amazing to think all three are still in the top 16 and heading back to the Masters.
Ronnie O’Sullivan won his eighth Masters title in 2024 (Image: Getty)
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“Ronnie will be returning as defending champion, and he’ll once again be a firm favourite with fans, and not far off favourite with most bookmakers.”
O’Sullivan has been in terrible form heading into the Masters, losing four of his last five matches in a dismal run stretching back to early November. But Foulds is reluctant to write him off.
“I think facing John first up has the potential to be a good thing for Ronnie,” he wrote. “The two have so much respect for each other and he’ll know he needs to play well in order to win. In front of a big crowd, on the big occasion, that usually brings out the best in Ronnie.”
“On bare results alone, it’s hard to have too many expectations. But the funny thing is, I actually don’t think he has played badly at all. If Ronnie doesn’t play well at the Masters, perhaps people would be right to question him and the state of his game, but it would be a brave man to write him off at an event he has won eight times already.”