Rebel

Ronnie O'Sullivan won a seventh world title in 2022. It confirmed his greatest of all time status, writes David Hendon.

Any title he wins now is only adding to a formidable legacy of greatness. His eyesight is good and he keeps himself physically fit. [Shaun Murphy questioned a perceived lack of gratitude towards snooker](https://www.eurosport.com/snooker/shaun-murphy-doubles-down-over-ronnie-o-sullivan-criticism-and-says-world-no.-1-owes-the-game-more_sto9240704/story.shtml)at the UK Championship. It should count itself lucky that his popular brand of play and at times eccentric personality continues to bring in huge audiences. He is used to sell a sport from which many others make a good living. In fact, most of his uncomfortable interviews come when he has won. If he put as much intensity into every event as he did the Crucible this year he would burn out. He also won the Champion of Champions, another one-table, big money tournament designed for the best. But O’Sullivan has proven to be snooker’s great survivor, coming back time and again from all manner of setbacks, controversies and his own love-hate feelings about the sport to dazzle us once more. Between winning his sixth world title in 2020 and seventh in 2022 O’Sullivan played in 29 tournaments and won only one of them, last season’s World Grand Prix. Nobody is, because the standard through the ranks is now so high that lower ranked players are more than capable not only of causing upsets but of winning titles. It’s like climbing a succession of mountains, having to survive various rockfalls along the way.