Ronnie O’Sullivan opens up on ‘addictive nature’ ahead of World Championship: ‘As long as I’m clean and sober’
Ronnie O’Sullivan heads to the Crucible chasing a record eighth world title.
Ahead of snooker’s blue-riband event, the 47-year-old was in reflective mood and has opened up on addiction, the processes he has put in place to ward against it and his continued prioritisation of his mental well-being.
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O’Sullivan cut an emotional figure after the final and, in an interview ahead of his latest tilt at further burnishing his status as snooker’s GOAT, said the achievement went far beyond winning a title.
“You know, seeing my kids are doing great and they’re growing into little adults.
“If you’d asked me, I’d have said, ‘Nah. There’s no way’.
“A lot of the emotion was reflecting back on, ‘OK, I’ve made it’. And I don’t mean winning a tournament. I mean I’ve made it to 47.”
‘It was horrendous’ – O’Sullivan opens up about addictions which cost him ‘a few years’
In his latest interview, O’Sullivan spoke on the power of addiction and the processes he has put in place to ward against it.
“Addiction is a powerful thing. I’m an addict. I know that,” he said.
“I don’t have my issues with it any more. I channel it into running or the gym.
“So when a lot of people go, ‘Why is he in the gym?’. Mate, that gym could have been a crack house. I just choose to go to the gym.
“I choose to run in the forest. I choose to do everything that keeps me away from pubs, drinking, partying.
“My mate once said, ‘If you stay outside a barbers long enough, you’ll end up getting a haircut’.
Ronnie O’Sullivan clasps a seventh world snooker title at the Crucible Theatre.
Image credit: Eurosport
“I have this addictive nature. It has been good for me in my snooker.
“It has been a massive force and drive but it needs to be managed.
“I need to be near gyms, running clubs, running people — and when I say being here now, that for me is winning.
“If you don’t have a good family behind you, it’s easy to go off the rails.
“Anything for me now, I just see it is a bonus. As long as I’m clean and sober.
“As long as I’m in a good place mentally. My well-being is good. That’s rule No. 1.
“Rule No. 2 is to remember rule No. 1. And there is no rule three.”
WORLD SNOOKER CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
- April 15-19: Round 1
- April 20: Round 1/2
- April 21-24: Round 2
- April 25-26: Quarter-finals
- April 27-29: Semi-finals
- April 30-May 1: Final
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