Exclusive: Jimmy White Has Backed Pal Ronnie O'Sullivan to Win a Record Eighth Crucible Crown

Jimmy White believes Ronnie O’Sullivan can win a record eighth World Championship before he hangs up his cue.

The Rocket, 49, was left questioning whether he had what it took at the highest level after being blown away 17-7, where he was whitewashed in the second session, by eventual winner Zhao Xintong in the semi-finals at the Crucible last season. 

Snooker's biggest star O’Sullivan moved to Dubai with wife Laila Rouass in the summer and seems settled since making roots in the Middle East.

And just last month O’Sullivan, in an exclusive interview with SportsBoom, revealed his hunger to add to his seven world titles. 

Asked whether he thought his close pal could conquer the Crucible once more, White told SportsBoom.co.uk: “The way he played in this year’s World Championship I would have said no."

“But Ronnie O’Sullivan is back. I knew he wouldn’t stand for going out of the World Championship like that."

“He was talking about whether or not he could play at that level anymore and he proved he can."

“He went away in the summer with a new cue and played outstanding out in Saudi, only losing 10-9 to Neil Robertson in that final. He had two 147s in a match out there as well."

“He will definitely be there or there abouts this season.”

Snooker’s Class of ’92 won’t leave a void

If O’Sullivan, regarded as the greatest player ever to pick up a cue, were to scale the World Championship mountain again it would come in his 50s, a feat no player has achieved.

Three-time world champion Mark Williams, who became snooker’s oldest ranking event winner at the Xi’an Grand Prix earlier this month, came close last year, running out of steam against Zhao as the Cyclone etched himself in history as China’s first ever world champion. 

And Whirlwind White, a six-time Crucible runner-up, added: “O’Sullivan will be about for a long time. What people forget about O’Sullivan, even though he’s coming up to 50, he’s the fittest guy on the tour.”

O’Sullivan, John Higgins and Williams all turned pro together as the famous ‘Class of 92’ and they have been at the top end of the sport ever since.

There are fears in some quarters about the future of the game once they retire. 

The next generation of top potters; the likes of Mark Selby, Neil Robertson and Shaun Murphy are only a few years younger leading to concerns there could be a mass exodus of the game’s biggest names.

But White, who has played through the 80s boom and Stephen Hendry’s dominance in the 90s, insisted: “The game won’t suffer when the Class of 92 go."

“You’ve got Williams who is a great shot maker, John Higgins might get fed up of the travelling because he’s been on the road all his life. But O’Sullivan will be around a long time." 

“When Alex Higgins was playing you had that excitement, I was playing then you had O’Sullivan. As long as you have exciting players who attack the game and score it will always be popular."

“These Chinese boys have it. Xintong the world champion is as exciting a player as you could wish to have. Then you have the likes of Si Jiahui, Wu Yize’s a great player.”

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