Snooker player Robert Milkins confessed that Ronnie O’Sullivan “scares the hell out of me” following a 7-5 defeat in the World Seniors Championship semi-final. The seven-time world champion staged a comeback from 5-4 down to secure his first final appearance in the event.
Semi-Final Showdown
O’Sullivan navigated tricky table conditions to triumph over Milkins and advance. He now awaits the winner of the match between Joe Perry and Craig Steadman in Sunday’s final.
Milkins Opens Up on the Challenge
The 50-year-old Milkins shared his thoughts post-match: “Ronnie scares the hell out of me always. I respect Ron. No other player does that to me. It is bad enough playing him when you are playing well. But when you are struggling, you’ve got no chance.”
He continued: “I’m not quite sharp, my match sharpness. I’ve disrespected the game for too long. I was struggling to get back into it. There are signs of playing well but I just missed too many easy balls. It will come but I’ve got to put a couple of weeks in now before Q School.”
O’Sullivan Embraces Pressure
O’Sullivan described the encounter as a “tough” battle under demanding conditions. “Conditions were really tough. None of the players are making excuses. I thought we were cueing well but it is just sometimes you can fall out of position and keep chasing the balls,” he said.
“It is hard, especially under pressure in front of a big crowd. So I think we’ve done really well considering the conditions. I’m messing about with different types of cue actions so it was a good experience to play under pressure, lose it and get it back. It is all new for me. So I’m enjoying that process.”
Guinness World Records Tribute
Prior to the semi-final, O’Sullivan received recognition for five Guinness World Records at the Crucible Theatre. Officials presented him with framed certificates backstage after his 4-1 victory over Ken Doherty in the last 16.
Among the honors: the highest professional break of 153, achieved on March 20 at the World Open in Yushan, China, via a 145 break plus a free-ball and extra black. Other milestones include the fastest 147 break (five minutes and eight seconds in April 1997), 17 competitive maximum breaks, 41 career ranking titles, and being the first player to compile 1,000 competitive centuries between June 1992 and March 2019.
O’Sullivan holds 19 Guinness World Records overall. Guinness World Records officials hailed his career as “one of the most decorated and influential careers in the history of the sport,” noting his extraordinary longevity, talent, and impact across more than three decades.
