Ronnie O’Sullivan is looking to win his seventh World Snooker Championship title next month at the Crucible in Sheffield when the 2021 tournament begins. The man from Essex is considered by many to be the greatest snooker player of all time and a record-equaling seventh title will help him cement that position.
O’Sullivan is a huge fan favourite in his sport. Not only has he had incredible longevity since he turned professional in 1992, but he is also an entertainer. The Rocket plays the game in such a unique way that there is rarely an empty seat in the arena when he is at the table.
The 45-year-old, who lives in Chigwell, won his sixth world title last year. It came seven years after his previous success. It was a huge boost to the Rocket as it proves he can still compete with the world’s best players, many of whom are far younger than him.
O’Sullivan has odds on the 2021 World Snooker Championship of 6.8. He has reached four ranking finals since his last visit to the Crucible but has been unable to win a trophy.
Trump The Favourite For The Title
Judd Trump is the only player ahead of O’Sullivan in the outright market for the world championship this year. The world number one has been in excellent form this season, winning five ranking events, including the German Masters and Gibraltar Open in 2021.
Trump will be desperate to improve his record in Sheffield. Despite his dominance over the last few years in the sport, he has only one world title to his name. His maiden success in the biggest event in the game came in 2019 when he beat John Higgins in the final 18-9.
The Ace in the Pack was defeated in the quarter-finals last year by Kyren Wilson. He has reached the last eight in each of the last three renewals of the tournament. Trump is the number two seed in the draw this year.
Other Players From Essex In The Draw
2015 world champion Stuart Bingham is another player from Essex who will be looking to achieve glory at the Crucible this year. It has been six years now since the finest moment in his career when he lifted the trophy after beating Shaun Murphy in the final.
Bingham’s last major success came in the 2020 Masters. That was his second win in a Triple Crown tournament and earnt him a new record as the oldest ever winner of the event at the age of 43 years and 243 days.
The Basildon resident is currently 16th in the world rankings. He will be desperate to maintain that position so he does not have to qualify for the world championship. He has not missed the tournament in Sheffield since 2010.
Ball Run is a 60.0 outsider this year. He does have the game to go deep into the draw at the very least so he will be confident he can outdo those odds.
This year’s World Snooker Championship begins on April 17. The final is scheduled to take place between May 2-3.
