RONNIE O’SULLIVAN almost broke down in tears during his last World Snooker Championship final win.
The Rocket claimed the title for a seventh time in 2022 when he beat Judd Trump 18-13.
PRIMERonnie O’Sullivan suffered a break down in the final of the 2022 World Snooker Championship final[/caption]
PRIMEThe Rocket almost quit as the pressure became unbearable[/caption]
PRIMEO’Sullivan went on to win the match to claim his seventh title[/caption]
But he suffered a torrid time behind the scenes as the pressure became too much to deal with.
O’Sullivan, 48, had raced into an 12-5 lead but completely lost his form following a mid-session interval.
Trump began to come back as he won five of the next six frames, leaving O’Sullivan feeling “ill” as he told friend and sports psychiatrist Steve Peters that he wanted to quit.
In the dressing room during the break Prime Video cameras captured O’Sullivan’s torment for his documentary ‘The Edge of Everything’, with the snooker star saying: “I hate this bit. I’ve gone from heavy leg, jelly leg to feeling tired. It’s a horrible feeling.
“I’m questioning my technique. I now think ‘how am I going to play’. F*** that. I feel ill. I feel ill with pressure.
“It’s f***ing horrible. I’m just tight, I hate it mate I hate it.
“I feel f***ed, energy’s drained. I feel like I’ve got stage fright, it’s horrible. I hate it I feel like I want to cry.
“Hell. I don’t even feel like I want to face this, I can’t, I feel so tight. On every shot I feel like I’m going to miss this, I’m f***ing gone.
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“My eyes are blurry. Honestly I f***ing hate this, I feel like I don’t want to face it.
“I’m scared mate, I’m scared.”
O’Sullivan held his nerve to equal Stephen Hendry’s record for most World Snooker Championship wins.
The world number one will be aiming to repeat his success at the Crucible this month, with O’Sullivan in round one action at the tournament on April 24.
‘Smoking too much weed and bulk-buying too much Smirnoff’ – Inside Ronnie O’Sullivan’s yo-yo health battle
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN’S snooker career almost went up in smoke after buying “too much weed and Smirnoff.”
Ronnie has long linked his performances on the baize with the ups and down in his diet and exercise regime.
The Rocket he has suffered a lifetime of yo-yoing weight, addiction and mental health struggles, and an often unhealthy relationship with food and fitness.
O’Sullivan ballooned to 16st on vodka and takeaways as a troubled teen, while “puffing like a maniac”.
Then, after turning his life around, he even saw his form decline after doing to TOO MUCH exercise.
Now right back to his best, the seven-time world champion has opened up on his struggles.
Click here to read more about Ronnie’s incredible life…