Ronnie O’Sullivan ‘not going anywhere’ – Jimmy White backs Rocket to keep dominating ahead of Shaun Murphy Masters clash

Jimmy White feels Ronnie O’Sullivan shows no signs of being on the wane, and expects him to keep performing at the top of the game.

White feels O’Sullivan will have the edge and expects him to keep picking up titles.

“He is playing as good as ever,” White told Eurosport. “He is not going anywhere.

“He is the fittest guy on the tour, he practices as much as anyone. He is not a certainty to win this tournament, but he has a great chance.

“I would always back O’Sullivan.”

White reflected on when he first witnessed the talent the 48-year-old O’Sullivan possessed.

“I had heard bits and pieces and then I’ve seen him play,” White said. “They asked me what I thought and I said ‘he’s a breath of fresh air, just what the game needs’.

“He’s still doing it now at the age he is now.”

O’Sullivan remains the big draw card in the sport, and White believes snooker benefits from him still being at the top of the tree.

“He is still doing it now,” White said. “Thankfully we still have Ronnie O’Sullivan as snooker needs him.

“No one is ever bigger than the game. You had Alex Higgins before and Ronnie O’Sullivan now.

“You look at Judd Trump now, he’s amazing to watch. All the top players are amazing to watch, they just do it in different styles.”

The Alexandra Palace plays host to the Masters and serves up one of the most vibrant atmospheres in snooker.

White feels O’Sullivan receives the support he does due to a combination of factors.

“The Conference Centre was where the first Masters was, it is the only tournament in London and that’s why you get these huge crowds and they love it,” White said. “He [O’Sullivan] is from London and that’s why he gets the support, and the way he plays.”