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The Masters: Ronnie O’Sullivan eyes eighth crown at Alexandra Palace with a determined “8, 8, 8 – Let’s go for it.”
Ronnie O’Sullivan is eyeing his eighth Masters title in the upcoming 2024 tournament at Alexandra Palace. The world No.1 is set to face the 12th seed, Ding Junhui, on Monday, aiming for further glory after his last victory in 2017. Despite his loss to Judd Trump in the 2019 final, O’Sullivan is eager to clinch his first Masters trophy in seven years. However, he has expressed concerns about the atmosphere at Ally Pally and its impact on his concentration. Looking ahead, O’Sullivan is enthusiastic about entering the crucial phase of the season.
“The Masters is challenging because there is some rowdiness, which I find annoying.” It’s almost as if I were going out for a night on the town, I would pick a peaceful spot to sit and unwind in.
“It’s my worst nightmare to play snooker in a boisterous environment, but you have to accept it, go out there, play, and try to block it out somehow.” You sort of withdraw into yourself. It’s really challenging for me, but you have to adjust. 24hscore
O’Sullivan has been playing quite well lately; he recently won the UK Championship, but he withdrew from the Scottish Open “for medical reasons.”
Zhang Anda defeated him in the International Championship semifinals the previous tournament.
The best player in the sport, however, is hoping for even greater success in the Triple Crown competitions of the World Championship, UK Championship, and Masters as we approach the new year.
“I try to approach every game I play with a winner’s mindset, regardless of the type of tournament,” he stated. “I try to maximize my potential in that particular tournament.”
“It’s like a workout, in a sense; participating in each tournament serves as a building block for the next and the ones to follow. The more effort you invest in every event, there’s a belief that, at some point, all that hard work will yield results, though the timing remains uncertain.
“So, even if I encounter challenges at the Masters, as long as I commit fully and give it my all, I anticipate reaping the rewards, perhaps in a subsequent tournament like the World Championship.”
Although Ronnie O’Sullivan already boasts the most Masters titles in the tournament’s history with seven, his ambition is to increase this tally to eight. Reflecting on his past achievements, having had 7, 7, 7, and now 7, 7, 8, he expresses a desire to achieve the symbolic “three eights” – 8, 8, 8.
While initially content with one World Championship, one UK Championship, and one Masters, O’Sullivan views any additional success as a bonus, an extra layer of accomplishment. Thus, the target is set: “8, 8, 8 – let’s go for it.”
