Ronnie O’Sullivan explained his reasoning for “snubbing” referees and rivals goes back to being “a bit OCD”. The snooker legend secured his eighth UK Championship success on Sunday evening, seeing off Chinese pro Ding Jinhui in York. And while the soon-to-be 48-year-old admits he gets more of a buzz from going for a morning run or having breakfast with a mate than he does winning finals, he finished off the last three frames to win the title for a record-extending eighth time, coming 30 years after his first triumph at just 17.
His 10-7 win against Jinhui came with no major outbursts of joy from O’Sullivan despite the fans going wild at the Barbican. After the fact ‘The Rocket’ was notably measured in his response to the victory. Yet fans spotted that the legend wasn’t shaking hands with referees and his opponent, but he explained previously it’s due to him being a “little OCD”.
After his grand win on Sunday, he said: “I’m not sitting here with a massive grin and super-excited. I just go through the motions a lot of the time. It’s great to win and I give my best when I’m out there and I want to win, but it’s not the same excitement as years ago when I was winning my first world and UK and Masters titles, and you’re buzzing. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a nice feeling and a job well done, but I get more of a buzz from going for a run in the morning or having breakfast with my mate.
“I don’t actually feel like ever playing. Once you get down there you think you’re glad you’ve done it, but even in this match today I was thinking I didn’t feel like it, I’d rather sit on my bed and watch a bit of Netflix. I feel like that a lot of the time.”
