Ronnie O’Sullivan ‘is the GOAT’ and an ‘artist’ says Stephen Hendry as Rocket hunts eighth crown at The Masters

Stephen Hendry insists the debate over who is the snooker GOAT is no longer a valid argument due to “artist” Ronnie O’Sullivan’s remarkable longevity and ongoing ability to adapt since he turned professional in 1992.

2005 world champion Shaun Murphy discussed O’Sullivan’s attributes with Hendry as they scribbled down words on a chalk board.

“Stephen, I feel safe these days with the word I’m about to write: GOAT, ” said Murphy on the BBC.

“One of the reasons he’s taken the game onto a new level is because he is an artist.”

“He’s had more wins, he has earned more money and had more centuries than any other player,” said Murphy, who meets Jack Lisowski in the second Masters quarter-final on Thursday night.

“I don’t think you can make the argument any more.”

“You cannot,” agreed Hendry. “I put artist because his cue ball control is on another level.

“When he gets in, he’s adapted his game over the years and his break-building.

“He used to be going into the pack to split them up, but now he cherry picks the reds, because his cue ball control is so good.”

O’Sullivan faces Barry Hawkins in the opening quarter-final of the Masters on Thursday afternoon in a repeat of the 2016 final which he won 10-1 at the Alexandra Palace.

“He’s incredible to watch,” said Murphy. “It’s almost like he challenges himself when he’s out there. Almost like this game is too easy. Almost like he wants to play the game in its purist form.

“He would have been just splashing the reds, and clearing up years ago.

“I think the challenge aspect keeps his focus. We didn’t think your century record would be beaten, but he’s closing in on twice as many and is well into the 1200s.

“Incredible break-builder, incredible long potter and of course, we go back to when he teamed with Reardon all those years ago, and he did become the complete player.”

As a cue ball chameleon beyond compare, Hendry believes O’Sullivan can live with any opponent in snooker on any level when he puts his mind to it.

“He adapts to every situation, every opponent, changes his game,” said Hendry. “If an opponent wants to play safe, he’s happy doing it. If an opponent wants to go all out potting, he’s happy doing that.”

“But you don’t know what you are going to get,” added Murphy. “I suppose that’s part of the excitement, he’s an enigma, he’s the crowd favourite, when people come to watch him they don’t know which Ronnie is going to turn up.

“Though in recent years, he has been much more consistent, and has become more predictable.

“But we don’t have to go too far back to find a dark side. He doesn’t like authority. He’s a rebel. Is he the Darth Vadar of snooker?”

• 1pm: QF3 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (Eng) v Barry Hawkins (Eng)
• 7pm: QF4 – Jack Lisowski (Eng) v Shaun Murphy (Eng)

• 1pm: QF1 – Judd Trump (Eng) v Ali Carter (Eng)
• 7pm: QF2 – Mark Allen (NI) v Mark Selby (Eng)