Latest news with #SaudiMasters
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Neil Robertson reveals Zoom call that 'transformed his life' after Ronnie O'Sullivan win
Neil Robertson beat Ronnie O'Sullivan 10-9 to win the Saudi Masters, claim £500,000 in prize money and move up to third in the world rankings following a period in the wilderness Neil Robertson says that working with a sports psychologist has helped turn his career around after he won the Saudi Masters. Robertson overcame Ronnie O'Sullivan 10-9 in the final over the weekend to bank the £500,000 prize money. The Australian star moved up to third in the world rankings with the stunning win, which was made even more impressive by his journey. Robertson is a former world champion but missed the 2024 Crucible showpiece after failing to come through qualifying after shooting down the rankings. He credits his comeback to a change of approach and the help of his team, which includes sports psychologist Helen Davis and coach Joe Perry. O'Sullivan has worked with psychologist Steve Peters for years and Robertson took a leaf out of his book by working with Davis. He explained: 'I always thought I was really strong mentally, which I am, but I think when you see an actual specialist, a sports psychologist, and you look at tennis players and golfers. 'They're always thanking their team whenever they win, that's the first people they thank is their team. That's what I've managed to set up with Helen Davis, who's worked with Wimbledon champions, and with Joe. 'At the start of the summer the three of us were on a Zoom call and we talked for about two hours about what is the plan for the season, the mindset, the style of play, what we want to achieve and to see it all come together so quickly is amazing. Helen has just transformed my life, she really has.' Robertson will next travel to China, where he will play 12-time women's world champion Reanne Evans in the last 64 of the Wuhan Open on Monday. And after winning the English Open, World Grand Prix and Saudi Arabia Masters, seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry is expecting him to continue his form. 'He's always been a top-four player for me, and he's back where he belongs,' Hendry said on the World Snooker Tour podcast. 'There's not a player in the world who doesn't benefit from being a bit quicker, being positive and getting on with it. 'He messaged me, I think during the UK Championship last year, and he was up to about 31 seconds a shot. I commented that he's at his best when he's at 19 or 20 seconds a shot. He actually didn't realise that he was up at those figures. 'Sometimes he does get bogged down, or he finds himself slipping into the same kind of pace if his opponent isn't playing the same type of game. He's a bully as a player. When he plays at his best, he imposes himself on the game. 'It is going to be really interesting to see how he pushes on. It would be easy to take his foot off the gas when he knows he's in all the main competitions for the rest of the season. You don't always play well. When you do get that form, it is easy to take your foot off the gas a little bit and all of a sudden your form just might go from that high that you are on.'
Wales Online
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Ronnie O'Sullivan's actions in TV studio were something pundit had 'never seen before'
Ronnie O'Sullivan's actions in TV studio were something pundit had 'never seen before' Ronnie O'Sullivan is no stranger to turning heads - and his former rival Ken Doherty says he was shocked at the Rocket's behaviour after his semi-final clash at the Saudi Arabia Masters Ronnie O'Sullivan raised eyebrows and turned heads at the Saudi Arabia Masters (Image: Getty Images) Snooker legend Ken Doherty admitted he was gobsmacked after witnessing Ronnie O'Sullivan's uncharacteristically joyous reaction in the TV studio following his unprecedented double 147 display. It was behaviour the Irishman says he's "never" seen from the Rocket before. On Friday, O'Sullivan, 49, once again etched his name into snooker folklore, becoming the first competitor ever to make two maximum breaks in the same match, achieved in his Saudi Masters semi-final against Chris Wakelin. The first of the two came right in the opener of the best-of-11 - and to underline his dominance, he added breaks of 134 and 142, dazzling fans with his consistency and flair. But it was his rare exuberance off the table that caught Doherty's eye. "I don't think he has ever been like that after a match," he said to the Express, via Betway. "When he came into the studio, we were having a good laugh with him, Ronnie was happy, was laughing his head off and normally he downplays everything, but he seemed really in a good place which was great to see." The Irishman was quick to praise the magnitude of the double 147 achievement itself. "They were just incredible," he said. "Just to witness that live and for it to be on TV was just unbelievable, it was unprecedented. It was historic and was absolutely amazing. But it is what Ronnie O'Sullivan does and it was an incredible best of 11 [frames], two 147 breaks, a 134 and a 142." Equally striking to Doherty was Ronnie's delight with his new piece of kit. "He was really happy with his new cue as well. I think the guy who made the cue for him, Sunny Akani, is going to be very busy over the next few months making cues for all different people. It was great to see him in good form, good spirits and playing so well." Article continues below Doherty says O'Sullivan was unprecedentedly jubilant after the semi-final (Image: Getty) Despite O'Sullivan occasionally flirting with retirement, Doherty feels there's plenty left in the tank. Recalling Ronnie's dramatic Saudi final against Neil Robertson, where he battled back from 7-2 down only to lose 10-9, he said: "The way he played and the level of which he played in, even in the final to come back from 7-2 down against Neil Robertson to go 9-8 up, I thought he was unlucky and Neil Robertson did really well to win 10-9. "But I thought Ronnie was unlucky with the couple of splits that he had and he could have won the game 10-8 or 10-9 because he was in the last frame as well. But Ronnie can go on for another few years and could even continue until he is 60 if he wants to." As someone who repeatedly locked cues with the Rocket during the '90s and early 2000s, Doherty believes an eighth world title remains O'Sullivan's great motivation. "I think Ronnie wants to win that elusive eighth world title and it will be high on his priority," he explained. Ken Doherty was knocked out in Round 2 of the Saudi Arabia Masters (Image: Getty) "He likes to play in the big tournaments. The Saudi event you could see how much it means to him; he was banging the table with frustration when things weren't going well which is a good sign that he really wants to win it. "He loves the big tournaments like the Saudi one, the Masters, the UK and the World Championship, which is his main priority. Ronnie loves winning and is a winner, he's always won and wants to keep winning and stay at the top for as long as he can." From his own experience of trying to stop O'Sullivan, Doherty emphasised the challenge of blocking out the Rocket's aura. "When you played Ronnie, you used to try not to think about who you were playing," he said. O'Sullivan and Doherty have enjoyed a healthy rivalry for years (Image: Getty) Article continues below "Play your own game and it was like trying to hold onto a racehorse but it was very difficult at times but you have to play your own game and concentrate about that because if you think about Ronnie's game all of the time, well then you are on the backfoot but if you can be confident in your own game. "I think that's what was so great about Neil Robertson, he focused on his own game and didn't worry about who was in the other chair or with it being Ronnie. It was an honour for him to play Ronnie, but it also inspired him and that's the attitude you need when you play against these great players." With O'Sullivan seemingly embracing the sport with fresh enthusiasm, Doherty believes snooker fans will be seeing plenty of Rocket magic for years to come. His verdict was clear: when Ronnie's in this frame of mind, absolutely anything is possible.
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
The ‘huge mistake' by Ronnie O'Sullivan in deciding frame of Saudi Masters vs Neil Robertson that cost him £300,000
Pot luck The 'huge mistake' by Ronnie O'Sullivan in deciding frame of Saudi Masters vs Neil Robertson that cost him £300,000 RONNIE O'SULLIVAN made a "huge mistake" in the deciding frame of the Saudi Arabian Snooker Masters. The Rocket was in action against Neil Robertson on Saturday evening, vying to win a £500,000 jackpot at the so-called "fourth major". 4 Ronnie O'Sullivan made a 'huge mistake' in the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters final Credit: Getty 4 The Rocket attempted to pot a red ball on the far side of a grouped set of reds Credit: TNT Advertisement 4 O'Sullivan fired his shot and saw the ball go towards the pocket Credit: TNT 4 However, the shot went wide of the mark to allow Robertson the chance to win the deciding frame Credit: TNT O'Sullivan had been down 7-2 against his Aussie rival before mustering a spirited comeback as he won five frames in a row, including 139 in frame 10 being the 1300th century of his career. However, in the decisive final frame at 9-9, O'Sullivan made a colossal error that ultimately cost him the title. Advertisement The 49-year-old was eyeing up a shot on a group of reds, with the aim of hitting one of the balls into the far corner pocket. O'Sullivan fired his shot and hit the reds, but ultimately saw his shot fail to hit its mark and the ball kiss the side of the pocket. On commentary for broadcaster TNT Sports, snooker legend Ken Doherty called it a "huge mistake". And Robertson, 43, made the most of it as he scored a superb break of 87 to win the match. Advertisement Speaking after the match, O'Sullivan - who still took home £200,000 for his runner-up spot - said: 'Neil deserved his victory. He was the better player. "I tried to hang up to him, make a game of it. I was pleased I did that tonight. At 6-2 down, he outplayed me. At 7-2 it looked like it was an early night. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK 'I'm pleased to take it a little bit longer. Neil played the best snooker all week. 'I came here and would have been happy to win a couple of matches. So, to get to the final, I'm very, very happy. You cannot be too greedy. I am disappointed I didn't win.' Advertisement Ronnie O'Sullivan strikes up surprise friendship with Jackie Chan on FaceTime before playing snooker with icon, 70 Robertson confessed that playing O'Sullivan in a final of this magnitude was something he "never could have dreamt of". It was his 26th tournament ranking title, worth double what he won when he became world champion in 2010. He said: "I cannot possibly explain in words what it means. To play Ronnie in a final of this magnitude when I was a kid in Australia, I could never have dreamt of that. "The way he came back, my God, being in this arena was the last place I wanted to be. It was incredible. "The frame he won to go 8-8, the brown was absolutely incredible. He was unlucky in the last frame. Advertisement "If he lands on the ball at 9-8, it's all over. I'm incredibly grateful to be able to share this stage with him. "It's not about winning and losing, it's about me doing my best and putting on a great match for everyone. The crowd got their money's worth these last two years. "I think this surpasses the World Championship win. I have had to answer a lot of questions. "Can I beat someone like Ronnie in a final of this magnitude? To beat him with so much on the line, it's definitely my best win." O'Sullivan, using a new cue for this season, will not be too disappointed by his performance in the Kingdom. Advertisement He will fly back to his new base in Dubai with £200,000 for being the finalist at this nine-day event, a £147,000 147 bonus plus an extra £33,333 for getting the event's high break.
Irish Examiner
08-08-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Your sport on TV this week: All-Ireland Camogie finals, Dublin Horse Show and the Community Shield
Don't Miss: The All-Ireland Camogie finals take place this weekend. First up on Sunday at Croke Park is the Premier Junior final when Armagh take on Laois. The second clash will see Offaly and Kerry go head-to-head in the Intermediate final with the final game of the day seeing Cork taking on Galway in the Senior final. Watch all the action live on RTÉ 2. Set the Sky Box: The 150th Dublin Horse Show takes place this weekend in one of the biggest equestrian events on the calendar. There will be TV coverage of three days of the competition including the Aga Khan. Watch all the action live on RTÉ. Streaming Pick: SEC Football: Any Given Saturday follow college football with behind the scenes footage of the pressure, commitment and tears it takes to be a D1 athlete and the crazy culture behind the most popular conference. Watch on Netflix. For all your sport throughout the year, check out our sport calendar. Friday August 8 10.30am, Tour of Poland, Stage 5, TNT Sports 1 12.30pm, Nexo Championship, DP World Tour, Sky Sports Golf 1.45pm, Dublin Horseshow, Equestrian, RTÉ 2 2.30pm, PIF Championship, LET, Sky Sports Mix 3.30pm, Tour of l'Ain, Stage 3, TNT Sports 2 12pm and 6pm, Saudi Masters, Snooker, TNT Sports 3 6.30pm, St Jude Championship, PGA Tour, Sky Sports Golf 8pm, Birmingham v Ipswich, Championship, Sky Sports Football 8pm, Warrington v Wigan, Super League, Sky Sports Action 10.15pm, Cincinnati Open, Tennis, Sky Sports+ Read More Watch: Meabh Cahalane carrying on the family tradition of captaining Cork Saturday August 9 11.30am, Tour of Poland, Stage 6, TNT Sports 1 11.45am, London T100 World Tour, Triathlon, TNT Sports 2 12pm, Ireland v Canada, Women's International Summer Series, TNT Sports 3 12pm and 6pm, Saudi Masters, Snooker, TNT Sports 3 12.30pm, Southampton v Wrexham, Championship, Sky Sports Football 12.30pm, Nexo Championship, DP World Tour, Sky Sports Golf 1pm, Ascot, Racing, UTV and BBC 1 2pm, The Curragh, Racing, TG4 2.30pm, Netherlands v Ireland, Women's EuroHockey, RTÉ 2 3pm, Leeds v AC Milan, Friendly, Premier Sports 1 3pm, Wolves v Celta Vigo, Friendly, Premier Sports 2 3pm, Hull KR v Castleford, Super League, Sky Sports+ 5pm, Shamrock Rovers v Galway Utd, SSE Airtricity Premier Division, TG4 5pm, PIF Championship, LET, Sky Sports Mix 5pm, Cincinnati Open, Tennis, Sky Sports+ 5.30pm, Huddersfield v Catalans, Super League, Sky Sports+ 5.30pm, Sheffield Utd v Bristol City, Championship, Sky Sports Football 5.45pm, Rangers v Dundee, Scottish Premiership, Premier Sports 1 5.45pm, Dublin Horseshow, Equestrian, RTÉ 2 6pm, St Jude Championship, PGA Tour, Sky Sports Golf 8.10pm, France v England, Women's International Summer Series, England Rugby YouTube Read More Tommy Martin: If music was the new football for a mid '90s teen, Oasis were your team Sunday August 10 12am, Roman Dolidze v Anthony Hernandez, UFC, TNT Sports 1 11.30am, Nexo Championship, DP World Tour, Sky Sports Golf 12pm and 6pm, Saudi Masters, Snooker, TNT Sports 3 12.15pm, Tour of Poland, Final Stage, TNT Sports 1 12.30pm Aberdeen v Celtic, Scottish Premiership, Sky Sports Football 1pm, Armagh v Laois, All-Ireland Camogie Junior Championship final, RTÉ 2 2pm, PIF Championship, LET, Sky Sports Mix 2.40pm, Dublin Horseshow, Equestrian, RTÉ One 3pm, Offaly v Kerry, All-Ireland Camogie Intermediate Championship final, RTÉ 2 3pm, Crystal Palace v Liverpool, Community Shield, TNT Sports 1 3pm, Chelsea v AC Milan, Friendly, DAZN 3pm, Hull FC v Salford RD, Super League, Sky Sports+ 4.30pm, Borussia Dortmund v Juventus, Friendly, DAZN 4.30pm, Leicester v Sheffield Wednesday, Championship, Sky Sports Football 5.15pm, Cork v Galway, All-Ireland Camogie Senior Championship final, RTÉ 2 6pm, St Jude Championship, PGA Tour, Sky Sports Golf 6pm, Cincinnati Open, Tennis, Sky Sports+ Read More Galway remain the one side capable of knocking Cork off stride
Irish Daily Mirror
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Snooker runner-up Mark Williams says he won't see any of €235k prize money
Snooker star Mark Williams has said he won't see a penny of his £200,000 (€235k) prize money from last year following a massive payday. The Welsh snooker icon lost in the World Championship final to China's Zhao Xintong despite a spirited comeback and banked €235k in prize money for his runner-up spot. The prize money is equal to that which he earned in Saudi Arabia when he lost to Judd Trump in the Saudi Masters final. Back then, Williams quipped: "£100,000 goes to her (his wife, Joanne) and £100,000 goes to the tax man." Williams will be hoping he gets to spend some of his hard-earned prize money after his sensational run to the final, which included beating world number one Judd Trump as well as veteran John Higgins. Williams also added that his opponent plays like a young Ronnie O'Sullivan after his 18-12 defeat. Williams said: 'He (Zhao) is as good to watch as O'Sullivan was when he was younger. He just strolls around the table and pots balls from anywhere as if he doesn't have a care in the world. 'Xintong is going to be a national hero now. He'll be on the front page of every news outlet going and I'm sure there are Chinese companies ready to throw zillions at him. 'It's great for our sport to have someone at the top who is so attacking and so young.'
