Alan McManus: Ronnie O’Sullivan has lost some of his ‘magic’ in snooker

Former Scottish snooker star Alan McManus has claimed that Ronnie O’Sullivan has lost some of the ‘magic’ that made him one of the most exciting players to watch on the table. Despite winning five tournaments this season, O’Sullivan has repeatedly expressed his frustrations with his performance.

McManus believes that O’Sullivan is no longer able to ‘showboat’ like he did in the past, with the seven-time world champion focusing more on cue ball control and positional play rather than extravagant shots. He stated, “I think some of the magic of O’Sullivan has gone. What I mean by that is the showboating long potting. It is all cue ball now.”

O’Sullivan himself has admitted to struggling to find form this season, driving himself “insane” in the process. Despite his success on the table, the Rocket has not been enjoying his time competing and has been frustrated with his performances.

However, O’Sullivan managed to beat his arch-rival Ali Carter 10-2 in the quarter-final of the Tour Championship, showcasing his ability to get the job done even when not at his best. He will now face either Gary Wilson or Zhang Anda in the semi-final on Friday.

Despite O’Sullivan’s frustrations, former snooker legend Stephen Hendry praised his ability to dismantle opponents with his potent safety play and consistent scoring. Hendry stated, “He plays a great safety, gets in and scores what’s there. That’s a powerful weapon.”

As O’Sullivan continues to strive for success on the table, fans will be watching closely to see if he can rediscover some of the magic that made him one of the greatest snooker players of all time.