Ronnie O’Sullivan was so scarred by his shock Crucible defeat to Luca Brecel last year that he refused to even discuss it, according to snooker icon John Virgo. ‘The Rocket’ was odds-on favourite to capture a record breaking eighth world crown in 2023 and led the unfancied Belgian 10-6 in his quarter-final before an astonishing turnaround, with the world No.1 contriving to lose seven straight frames in only 79 minutes.
Brecel, who earlier in the tournament had claimed to be celebrating victories by partying heavily, famously went on to capture the title by beating Mark Selby 18-15 in the final. And on the eve of the 2024 tournament in Sheffield, former player and commentator Virgo revealed the extent to which Brecel’s triumph hurt O’Sullivan.
“Funnily enough, he came over to see me (in Spain) in the summer and I asked him what happened against Luca Brecel in that match,” Virgo told Metro Newspaper. “He said, ‘I don’t want to talk about it!’ So it still wrangles with him.”
Virgo himself admitted O’Sullivan’s capitulation that day took him by surprise, and implied the seven-time world champion may have got complacent having been within sight of history. But he also believes that memory should serve as a warning that any player who under-performs on the sport’s biggest stage will be punished.
“For the greatest player we’ve ever seen to play seven frames and not make a 30 break, nobody could have foreseen that,” he added. He is human like the rest of us, but it was hard to believe.
“I can only assume it was the pressure of the tournament. Maybe he was looking too far ahead, who knows. But he can’t afford bad sessions like that because the competition is there. If you have a bad session you’re going to get walloped, so to speak, which is what he did.”
The 48-year-old has bounced back with a vengeance thus far in the 2023/24 season though. He’s captured titles at the Shanghai Masters, World Grand Prix, and World Masters events, as well as taking the UK Championship and Masters crowns to bring his tally of Triple Crown tournament wins to 23.
And despite defeat this month to fellow veteran Mark Williams in the Tour Championship final, Virgo believes that on current form O’Sullivan will again be the man to beat come April 20. “It’s hard to look past Ronnie, as he’s proved in the UK and the Masters, on the big occasion he does really produce,” added the 78-year-old.
“He’ll be a little bit disappointed after his Tour Championship defeat. Very reminiscent of when he lost to Brecel in last year’s World Championship. But those people who think Ronnie’s only got to turn up and if he puts his mind to it he wins, that’s so far from the truth. He’s got to be at his best.”
