Ronnie O’Sullivan compared Kyren Wilson to two-time Masters champion Scottie Scheffler (Image: Getty)
Snooker world champion has been hailed as the ‘ of snooker’ by none other than . The 32-year-old announced himself as one of the sport’s true stars, following his World Championship triumph earlier this year where he overcame Jak Jones 18-14.
Wilson, dubbed ‘The Warrior’, has been on a roll this season, scooping up titles at the Xi’an Grand Prix and the Northern Ireland Open, further bolstering his impressive trophy collection. His relentless pursuit of success continues as he sails into the quarter-finals of the UK Championship, dispatching Chris Wakelin with a comfortable 6-2 victory.
Despite an early exit from the competition after a 4-6 defeat to Barry Hawkins, O’Sullivan, who clinched the title last year, has lauded Wilson’s ability to thrive under pressure. Speaking to Eurosport, the snooker legend acknowledged the challenges of being a world champion but expressed confidence in Wilson’s potential for future victories.
“It depends how good you are, some it can destroy their career and can’t handle the pressure,” O’Sullivan commented. “Some players who have the talent and have got the pedigree, they rise in stature and go on to win many, many things. I would definitely put Kyren in that bracket where [he] is going to win many, many more big tournaments,” reports .
‘The Rocket’ has drawn parallels between the versatile skills of Wilson and two-time Masters champion golfer Scheffler. “He reminds me of Scottie Scheffler, the golfer,” O’Sullivan remarked, highlighting Wilson’s all-around prowess on the green baize. “He does everything very well and when he is on it, he is a tough competitor,” the Rocket added.
The 32-year-old has won two tournaments this season (Image: Getty)
O’Sullivan also showed off his sportsmanship when disclosing that he had sent Wilson an encouraging text message, advising him to seize the moment given his current form. “It’s consistency levels basically, he does what looks simple but it’s not simple, but he does it very efficiently,” said O’Sullivan, who rates Wilson as the world’s top player.
“If he gets to the semis my money is on him all day because great temperament, great game. He’s had it hard. Worked behind the bar when he fell off the tour. He’s a warrior. I know that’s his nickname, but he’s had it hard. Now he’s world champion, got a great life, great family, he ain’t letting this go.
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“I did send him a text saying ‘this is your time, go and get as many majors as you can because there’ll be a time when it don’t happen for you’.” As Wilson gears up to potentially face Michael Holt in his quest for the semi-finals, where a clash with either world number one Judd Trump or Zhang Anda awaits, O’Sullivan has firmly placed his bets on Wilson as a strong contender.
“With Kyren it was about belief,” O’Sullivan added. “There was a lot of chat, sometimes criticising his game, and he would have heard that. But having been the world champion, winning two tournaments this year. For me, if he gets to the semi-finals he is the man to beat.”