Shanghai Masters snooker: Ronnie O’Sullivan reveals sporting heroes as John Higgins makes winning start in China

Ronnie O’Sullivan has admitted he idolised six-time world champion Steve Davis as a kid before trying to base his approach on 15-time major golf winner Tiger Woods when he turned professional.

Citing F1 icons Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna as other key inspirations, the world No. 1 told reporters: “I wanted to grow up being like Steve Davis, he was my role model and my coach.

“He was world champion and the best player in the world, winning every tournament and I just wanted to be like Steve Davis.

“I’d watch him all the time, but as you grow older, you start to look at other sports and other sports people.

“I think Tiger Woods, Michael Shcumacher and Ayrton Senna. People like that. They weren’t just good at their sport. They were fit and strong.

“They changed the way you look at yourself as a professional. Sometimes you can be lazy, but with Tiger Woods he was never lazy.

“He was working hard in the gym being fit and strong, eating good, sleeping right, no drink.

“Just being really focussed. So for me it is important to look for different role models.”

Davis won the world title six times between 1981 and 1989 with O’Sullivan overtaking his fellow Essex icon’s haul to reach seven alongside Stephen Hendry with his 18-13 win over Judd Trump in last year’s Crucible final.

O’Sullivan has lifted the Shanghai Masters four times, including the last three times it has been staged between 2017 and 2019.

He will face Ali Carter or Dong Zihao in his opening match in the last 16 on Tuesday at 12:30pm (BST).

Meanwhile, four-time world champion John Higgins made an impressive start to his Shanghai Masters campaign by hitting a 141 break in a 6-0 whitewash win over Deng Haohui on Monday.

The recent European Masters semi-finalist continued his impressive scoring streak with other knocks of 64, 102, 91 and 59 to reach the last 16 and a match with Kyren Wilson on Tuesday.

“It’s a beautiful city. One of the nicest cities in the world I’ve ever travelled to,” said Higgins on World Snooker Tour. “It’s definitely great to be back.”

Former European Masters champion Fan Zhengyi ended Gary Wilson’s hopes with a 6-2 win in the first round.

Wilson rolled in 57 in claiming the first frame, but breaks of 65, 96, 90 and 71 helped Fan progress to a meeting with Mark Allen.