Ronnie O’Sullivan is nicknamed the ‘Rocket’ for a reason. He is very fast when executing his movements on a snooker table, something that contrasts disproportionately with more leisurely players. Also, when he fires up all the boosters, he’s practically unstoppable. And that is how the Iranian Hossein Vafaei experienced it, who was overwhelmed (13-2) by the Englishman in the round of 16 of the World Cup, at the Crucible in Sheffield, the place where Ronnie has become a legend. Seven titles have there. The last one in 2022.
The duel with Iranian Prince Vafaei He had a special morbidity. He had described O’Sullivan as disrespectful to him, his family and all the players in the world. “Is Ronnie still your idol?”, they had asked him once. He avoided answering. It is true that O’Sullivan, a genius with few hairs on his tongue, had said that he would beat half the players on the circuit with one hand. It’s just one example, there have been more ‘beefs’ between Vafaei and the Rocket.
And in that tense atmosphere, the match began, with O’Sullivan wearing his ‘World mode’ look. It was a scandal. Everything was resolved in two sessions. Friday night, Saturday noon and Propulsion Rocket on the table, which left a series of miscellaneous items. O’Sullivan added his 200th century at the Crucible, he passed 1,200 hundreds in his entire career and equaled his most resounding victory in a World Cup in a match at 25 frames (The other was the 13-2, which endorsed Milkins in 2002).
To start, 6-2 in the first session. In the second, Vafaei was totally defeated and didn’t win a single set. Ronnie had no mercy and closed the game with a hundred of 116. “A humiliation”, according to Stephen Hendry, also a seven-time world champion. But Ronnie didn’t want to draw blood. At the end of the match, Goesfaei went to shake hands with O’Sullivan, who dodged her, but it was for good. Ronnie went straight for a hug to the Iranian, to whom he took his shoulder and smiled. “I have no resentment towards Hossein, I love him… He will come back stronger,” said O’Sullivan, who only thinks about winning at the World Cup.
“If this is what you call a day at the office, all the better. I have played worse and I have won tournaments, and I have played better and also. So great, I have nothing to lose,” said Ronnie, 47.: “I have seven Masters, seven UK Opens and seven World Cups, I no longer lose anything, I just want to enjoy”.
Who is the main threat to Ronnie?
In the quarterfinals, next Tuesday (seen on Eurosport), O’Sullivan faces one of snooker’s new talents, the Belgian Luca Brecel, who has just eliminated a heavyweight like Mark Williams. It will also be at 25 frames. Brecel is a calculating player who is accustomed to precise movements at the table, but who sometimes suffers with superstars like O’Sullivan. If Wordsley’s continues at this level, it is unstoppable.
On the other side of the table, the possible candidates to stop O’Sullivan. They sound strong Mark Allen, the Irishman who has won three tournaments this season, but who resists a good role in the Crucible. And, with Williams, Trump and Murphy eliminated, the spotlights point to two superclassics such as the Scotsman John Higgins or the Englishman Mark Selby (four titles), the antagonist of ‘Rocket’ for his leisurely and thoughtful game.
At the moment, O’Sullivan with his roller in the Crucible theater (he also easily beat the Chinese Pang) is the rival to beat. Top favorite in betting, from the public… and until now his enemy Vafaei. They made peace… and the Rocket continued towards the clouds.