O'Sullivan Pulls Out Dusty Old Cue — And Immediately Looks Like an Eight-Time World Champion
The Pick
With Ronnie O'Sullivan through to the last 16 and facing fellow 50-year-old John Higgins from Saturday night, back O'Sullivan to reach the quarter-finals at evens or better. The cue switch, the early signs of form, and his sheer Crucible pedigree all point in one direction. Don't overthink it.
What Happened at the Crucible
Ronnie O'Sullivan needed just 35 minutes on Wednesday morning to finish off He Guoqiang and wrap up a commanding 10-2 first-round victory. He arrived at the Crucible having built a 7-2 overnight lead, and the remaining three frames were little more than a formality — two centuries underlining just how comfortable the seven-times champion had made it look by the end.
The real story, though, wasn't the scoreline. It was the cue. O'Sullivan revealed after the match that he had quietly switched sticks ahead of the second session, pulling out an old favourite that had been gathering dust under his bed at his home in Ireland for the best part of a year. "My cue was hopeless yesterday," he admitted with characteristic bluntness. "It was only because I'm feeling all right that I was able to get away with it. I felt like I could play the shots that I like today. It was stuck under my bed in Ireland, basically, for most of the year until I came here."
For any other player, that would be a worrying admission ahead of the business end of a World Championship. For O'Sullivan, it feels oddly reassuring — if he can knock in centuries with a cue he openly describes as hopeless, you'd back him to do some serious damage with one he actually likes.
The Analysis
The upcoming second-round clash with John Higgins is genuinely one of the ties of the tournament. Two men, both 50 years old, both multiple world champions — Higgins with four titles, O'Sullivan chasing a record-breaking eighth — meeting at the Crucible in what could easily be a tournament-defining match for either of them. These two have faced each other at the Crucible more times than most players manage in a career, and the quality of snooker they tend to produce together is consistently exceptional.
O'Sullivan has been characteristically cautious about his own prospects, pointing to a light schedule of ranking events this season as a reason for uncertainty. "It's hard, because I haven't played enough top players regularly to know," he said. "I'm still a bit rusty. Nothing's impossible." That self-deprecating honesty is vintage Ronnie — but it's worth noting that a rusty O'Sullivan who openly admits he needs to improve still beat He Guoqiang 10-2 in a session and a half. Take the modesty with a pinch of salt.
The broader Crucible picture is worth keeping an eye on too. The emerging narrative of fresh British talent making waves — first-time qualifiers Stan Moody and Liam Pullen both caught the eye before losing to Kyren Wilson and Chris Wakelin respectively — has added genuine excitement to the draw. O'Sullivan, who described the practice room as a "creche" with a wry smile, was generous in his praise for both youngsters. He singled out Moody in particular, predicting the young Englishman will become a world champion one day. High praise from the sport's greatest ever player.
But while the next generation captures the imagination, the Class of '92 refuses to step aside just yet. O'Sullivan and Higgins marching into the last 16 together, 58 combined world titles between them, is exactly the kind of storyline the Crucible was built for.
The Odds
| Market | Selection | Odds (Fractional) | Odds (Decimal) | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match Winner (R2 vs Higgins) | O'Sullivan | 10/11 | 1.91 | Bet365 |
| Match Winner (R2 vs Higgins) | O'Sullivan | Evs | 2.00 | William Hill |
| World Championship Outright | O'Sullivan | 5/1 | 6.00 | Betfair Sportsbook |
| To Reach the Quarter-Finals | O'Sullivan | 8/13 | 1.62 | Paddy Power |
Odds correct at time of writing. Always check current prices before placing.
The Verdict
O'Sullivan at evens to beat Higgins looks workable given his Crucible record and the fact he found another gear the moment he switched cues. The outright at 5/1 is the more interesting play if you believe — as I do — that a dialled-in O'Sullivan with a cue he trusts is one of the most dangerous forces in world snooker. Small stake on the outright, larger stake on O'Sullivan to reach the last eight.
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