Snooker: 'The Rocket' aiming for a perfect launch

O’Sullivan begins defence of world championship crown today.

SHEFFIELD: Defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan admits his lack of big-match exposure over the last 12 months could make him a sitting duck as the World Snooker Championship 2013 gets underway today in Sheffield.

The 37-year-old, nicknamed 'The Rocket', goes into the tournament having taken a year out from the sport to consider his future.

"It's like my own reality TV show," said the four-time champion. "It could be car crash, it could be good. You just don't know.

"The world championship is a one-off event and the form book goes out the window."

O'Sullivan faces Marcus Campbell in the first round.

Meanwhile, Mark Selby is the bookmakers' favourite having already captured the UK Championship and Masters this year. "It's a tough tournament to win,” said Selby. “There's a lot of great players in it. It's great to have Ronnie back playing as well, so it's going to be tough.

"He's one of the most natural players to ever play our game. If any one player can do it (win after a year out), Ronnie's the person."

On the other hand, Chinese star Ding Junhui revealed he is under so much pressure to win a maiden world title that he wished he had extra-terrestrial powers.

World number nine Ding has never got beyond the semi-finals of the world championships.

And unlike 2012, when there were four Chinese players in the main draw, Ding will be his country's only representative this time around. "When I play in China, people think I will win every tournament I play in,” he said. “They say 'it is not impossible — you are human'. I wish I was an alien.

"But I'd like to be the first (Chinese player) to set the records. I want to play the best snooker."

Published in The Express Tribune, April 20^th, 2013.