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The ‘Big Three’ tennis player Ronnie O’Sullivan said he was most similar to in 2022
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- The ‘Big Three’ tennis player Ronnie O’Sullivan said he was most similar to in 2022
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Ronnie O'Sullivan is widely regarded as one of the greatest snooker players in history.
The 50-year-old, who hails from Wordsley in the West Midlands, has won seven world championship titles; a record he shares with Stephen Hendry.
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The Englishman has also won a record eighth Masters titles and a record eight UK Championship titles for a total of 23 Triple Crown titles.
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O'Sullivan has previously revealed his admiration for his peers across the globe, including football star Lionel Messi and tennis phenomenon Novak Djokovic.
In 2022, O'Sullivan discussed his admiration for Djokovic, while also naming the 'big three' member he is most similar to.
Ronnie O'Sullivan said he was most similar to Roger Federer
In an interview with Telegraf.rs in 2022, O'Sullivan discussed his own tennis abilities before expressing his respect for Novak Djokovic.
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"I'm good at tennis," said the seven-time world champion. "I'm sure I'm better at tennis than Novak is at snooker.
"If Novak is ready to play a few shots of snooker with me, he can always call me.
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"You have to admire Djokovic. He is the best player of all time and will win the most Grand Slams in the history of tennis."
O'Sullivan, who has the opportunity to win a record-extending eight world championship title this year, went on to compare himself to Djokovic and Roger Federer.
"There are also Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the three of them are a sporting phenomenon," he said.
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"If we compare Novak and myself, we have different styles of play, I am more like Federer. Roger has self-confidence, but Novak is more of a mixture of styles and he has it all in him."
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When is the next Snooker World Championships?
The Snooker World Championships represents the pinnacle of snooker, and it has been held at the iconic Crucible Arena in Sheffield, England, since 1977.
Zhao Xintong is the defending world champion. Xintong became the first Chinese player to win the title after beating Wales' Mark Williams in the 2025 final.
This year, the tournament is set to take place from Saturday, April 18 to Monday, May 4.
The top 16 ranked players will enter directly into the main draw for the event, and they will be joined by 16 qualifiers.
