O’Sullivan and Hawkins have met just once since the Rocket’s comments, at the 2023 World Grand Prix when the seven-time Masters champion whitewashed his opponent in the last 32 of the competition.
Hawkins has admitted himself that he lacks confidence in his own game, but will be hoping to improve that hindrance is in the past and prove O’Sullivan wrong by knocking him out of the Masters at the quarter-final stage.
“I’ve said it loads of times that I’ve lacked belief, and that’s probably what’s let me down over the years,” Hawkins said. “I’ve been trying to work on it and work on it the last few years. It’s not something that comes naturally to me, I’m not the most confident person out there, so I’ve been trying to work on it. Go out there, believe in myself, believe that I can win and just see what happens.”
