Ronnie O’Sullivan is often coy on whether he is bothered about breaking snooker records or not, but one would certainly mean a lot to the Rocket.
The 49-year-old has plenty of pieces of snooker history on his CV, with the most ranking titles, most Triple Crown triumphs and most centuries among them.
O’Sullivan is level on seven World Championship titles with Stephen Hendry in terms of the modern record, and he will be trying to claim that one for himself as well before he hangs up his cue.
There is the possibility the Rocket can write his name into the history books in another way this season, by becoming the oldest winner of a ranking event.
His former mentor and coach Ray Reardon holds that record, setting it way back at the 1982 Professional Players Tournament, which he won aged 50 years and 14 days.
The legendary six-time world champion died aged 91 last year leaving behind an immense snooker legacy, which included improving O’Sullivan’s game dramatically when they worked together 20 years ago.
O’Sullivan doesn’t turn 50 until December 5 so he cannot break Reardon’s record just yet, but if he can be the one to do it, it would mean a lot to him.
‘Yeah, listen, I loved Ray, he was like a father figure to me, you know,’ O’Sullivan told Metro. ‘I got to know him so well, so if I was to break Ray’s record, it would be nice.
‘I’m sure he’d be pleased and he’d be looking down, just going, “I’m happy it was Ronnie that took my record.”
‘So yeah, definitely, it would mean a lot.’
Reardon predicted that O’Sullivan would break his record as the oldest ranking event winner, telling World Snooker Tour in 2023: ‘I can’t see any reason why not. I wish him well because I’m on his side. It would be wonderful. Good for him.
‘What a wonderful player and the most natural player you will ever see.
‘I was amazed when I worked with him. I saw him play and I’d heard about him and read about him. To stand by him for a practice session is unbelievable. It is magic and I used to call him the magician. He wouldn’t have that, he wanted to be The Rocket.’
There is every chance that O’Sullivan could end up as the oldest ranking event winner, but he may not be the player to beat Reardon’s record as there are others who can get there first.
Mark Williams is in the draw for the Xi’an Grand Prix, starting Tuesday, and if he wins then the Welshman will become the oldest winner of a ranking title.
John Higgins lost in his Xi’an qualifier, but he is also already older than Reardon was when he won his last ranking event, so the Wizard of Wishaw could also beat the Rocket to the record in the coming weeks and months.
When he won the World Open in March this year, Higgins became the oldest player to win a ranking title since Reardon at 49 years old, then added another trophy to his collection at the Tour Championship the following month, shortly before his 50th birthday.
Those Class of 92 legends are the most likely to break Reardon’s record, but they are not the oldest players still on the professional tour.
Jimmy White (63), Ken Doherty (56) and Mark Davis (53) are all still competing professionally, although their odds of claiming the record from Reardon are remote.
O’Sullivan’s first chance to break the record – if no one has beaten him to it by then – would be the Scottish Open in December, but he is very unlikely to play in that event.