Every sport sees the occasional genius - someone who dazzles the spectators and makes the competition look silly. Such people come along rarely, but when they do, they change the face of the game forever.
When Sachin Tendulkar is at the crease, India waits with bated breath because we know the possibilities are limitless. Similarly when Michael Jordan used to get possession of the ball, the atmosphere was suddenly electrified because nobody knew what to expect. Cricket and basketball will never be the same after them. There are others we can think of, like Schumacher or Maradonna but to me Jordan & Tendulkar are the greatest.
Forgetting for now the debate about whether it can be called a "sport" or only a "game", such a person in snooker is undeniably the ambidextrous genius that is Ronnie O'Sullivan. With 22 ranking event titles, 3 world championship titles, 10 maximum breaks (including the fastest ever) and over 500 century breaks he is the most decorated player in history, second only to Stephen Hendry. He dazzles spectators with his lightning speed breaks and his shennanigans off the table keep him in the public eye always. Unfortunately snooker is not popular enough world wide for his talent to be appreciated enough, but then Ronnie has never been one seeking societal acceptance. He has famously been quoted after a 147 break as saying "No, I don't really get excited when the audience cheers me on for a 147. I've got a lot of them already and the buzz isn't really there anymore".
As I write this, we are in to the second round of the World Snooker Championship 2011. In round 1, the Rocket blasted Dale mercilessly to a score line of 10-2 and scored three century breaks on the way to inevitable victory. He now faces off with Shuan "MOFO" Murphy, a former world champion and gritty Brit. The fan in me is egging on Ronnie to beat Murphy and move ahead, but the real question on every one's minds is something else.
Can a 35 year old manic depressive, who has faced first round defeats in his last seven ranking events, bring out his Genius game at will and in the twilight of his career write a fitting final paragraph to this golden chapter?
When Sachin Tendulkar is at the crease, India waits with bated breath because we know the possibilities are limitless. Similarly when Michael Jordan used to get possession of the ball, the atmosphere was suddenly electrified because nobody knew what to expect. Cricket and basketball will never be the same after them. There are others we can think of, like Schumacher or Maradonna but to me Jordan & Tendulkar are the greatest.
Forgetting for now the debate about whether it can be called a "sport" or only a "game", such a person in snooker is undeniably the ambidextrous genius that is Ronnie O'Sullivan. With 22 ranking event titles, 3 world championship titles, 10 maximum breaks (including the fastest ever) and over 500 century breaks he is the most decorated player in history, second only to Stephen Hendry. He dazzles spectators with his lightning speed breaks and his shennanigans off the table keep him in the public eye always. Unfortunately snooker is not popular enough world wide for his talent to be appreciated enough, but then Ronnie has never been one seeking societal acceptance. He has famously been quoted after a 147 break as saying "No, I don't really get excited when the audience cheers me on for a 147. I've got a lot of them already and the buzz isn't really there anymore".
As I write this, we are in to the second round of the World Snooker Championship 2011. In round 1, the Rocket blasted Dale mercilessly to a score line of 10-2 and scored three century breaks on the way to inevitable victory. He now faces off with Shuan "MOFO" Murphy, a former world champion and gritty Brit. The fan in me is egging on Ronnie to beat Murphy and move ahead, but the real question on every one's minds is something else.
Can a 35 year old manic depressive, who has faced first round defeats in his last seven ranking events, bring out his Genius game at will and in the twilight of his career write a fitting final paragraph to this golden chapter?
As u said: 'the atmosphere is electrified as nobody knows what to expect..'
ReplyDeleteRonny has that aura and that's why the world is still watching him keenly..
Wishing him all the best..
Well well well .... No word of your stalker :P .... Ronnie should not be writing a cheque with his face if he.......
ReplyDeleteMore often than not, legends of the game always play for personal pride. Once that pride is satiated, they then retire. Public adulation is good, but not mandatory for them. That's the case with Ronny too. A true champion of the sport!
ReplyDelete"second only to Stephen Hendry" . shouldnt we all be cheering him instead? why this fascination with the second best?
ReplyDelete