Snooker star Jack Lisowski has hailed Ronnie O’Sullivan as “a god” in the world of snooker, while also expressing admiration for John Higgins.
When recently asked about their childhood heroes, several top players named legends like O’Sullivan, Higgins, Stephen Hendry, Jimmy White, and Steve Davis as the stars they looked up to.
Lisowski, a long-time fan of O’Sullivan, reiterated his feelings towards the Rocket. He said: “He’s just a god, isn’t he? He carried the game for the last 20 years. He’s one of the most exciting British sportsmen ever. Here at the Welsh Open – I think I was like 12 – I cut my arm really bad on a glass door and I had it in a sling. He beat someone 5-0 and then he signed it after. I was buzzing.”
Speaking to Eurosport, Lisowski added: “[O’Sullivan] is closely followed by John Higgins. He was my idol when I was growing up for several years.”
Currently ranked 26th in the world, Lisowski has yet to secure a ranking title despite reaching six finals, including losses to Neil Robertson at the Riga Masters and China Open, Mark Selby at the Scottish Open, and Judd Trump at the World Grand Prix, German Masters, and Gibraltar Open.
Lisowski, who has one maximum break and 347 century breaks to his name, will be hoping to emulate even a fraction of the success that O’Sullivan has enjoyed in his career. Often referred to as the greatest snooker player of all time, ‘The Rocket’ turned professional at the tender age of 16 in 1992.
He clinched his first ranking title the following year at the UK Masters, and his career has been on an upward trajectory ever since. Currently ranked third in the world, O’Sullivan boasts a record eight Masters and UK Championships each, not to mention the highest number of triple crowns – 23 – ever recorded by any player in the history of the game, reports The Mirror.
And that’s not to mention his collection of seven World Championships – a record he shares with Scots legend Hendry. Meanwhile, Higgins has also had a remarkable career, winning four World Championships and 31 ranking tournaments of his own.