Snooker maestro Ronnie O'Sullivan, labeled as "rocket" by fans
for his fast and accurate slot "complained" his first round clash
with China's prodigy Ding Junhui at the upcoming Championships was
deliberately arranged to oust one of the two most red-hot title
contenders.
"The World Snooker Association may have juggled with the draw
results to erect barricades for me to claim the title," O'Sullivan
said to British media during the run-up to the Championships, which
will kick off on Saturday.
O'Sullivan half jestingly told the Suns that his first
instinction when told the draw result was to believe that the
association had picked the toughest guy for him and someone must
have done it on purpose.
Joke or not, it may bring forth "Rocket" nothing but trouble. He
was exempt from punishment by the association after walking out of
the quarter-finals against Stephen Hendry at the All-England
Championships last December.
"Whoever my rival will be, they will pose no interference to me
on road to winning the title," he said.
After finally ending his world Championships hoodoo and hailed
as a future world number one, Ding, too, has been determined not to
wrap up his first Champions that early. "I have already played
against him (O'Sullivan) so long, so I will see him as an ordinary
rival."
However, the picture of the tearful Ding at this year's Masters
meltdown is not far away. In O'Sullivan's comforting arms, the then
teenager just looked like a rookie.
"He (O'Sullivan) is a great rival and a great friend," Ding
said.
Before the Masters, the two friends cum rivals have met at the
North Ireland Cup final and Ding claimed the title. But the Sport
Life predicted Ding's dispatch by O'Sullivan given his poor
performance after the Masters final defeat and continuous
engagements at home before his Championships tour.
After the wild onslaught at the Masters final, Ding then saddled
first-round exits at three Opens, including the China Open late in
March.
What about the upcoming first round with "rocket"?
"The only thing I can tell now is that both of us (with Ding)
will turn old some day and all I can do is to be there and play,"
O'Sullivan said.
(China Daily April 18, 2007)