• Snooker World Championship

O'Sullivan targets style and substance

Ronnie O'Sullivan is a three-time world champion © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: O'Sullivan in charge after dominant opening session
  
• News: Doherty warning over Crucible
  
• Where Are They Now?: Joe Johnson: The man who stunned the Crucible
  
• Profile: Ronnie O'Sullivan

Ronnie O' Sullivan will not be content with simply grinding out the results at the World Championship in Sheffield next week.

The three-time world champion meets Liang Wenbo at the Crucible on Tuesday, determined to put last year's disappointing showing behind him. As defending champion he slumped to a second round defeat to Mark Allen, and this year he has vowed to make amends and give the crowd something to cheer about when he takes to the green baize.

"Sometimes when I play decent then I know everybody's having a good time and it's like hosting your own party. When I'm playing well and on song, you do kind of have the crowd in your hands.

"When you do turn it on, it's a great feeling, and when you're not you feel like you're letting yourself down, you're wasting your time and nobody' shaving a good time and they're waiting for something to happen and it ain't happening.

"And that can be quite demoralising sometimes because everybody wants to make someone happy. My way of doing that is through playing good snooker."

Meanwhile, defending champion John Higgins believes O'Sullivan will have a point to prove. With both players on course for a fourth world title, Higgins, who has leapfrogged O'Sullivan to claim the No. 1 ranking for next season, the Scot believes wounded pride will make The Rocket a dangerous prospect at the Crucible.

"I think he'll be more dangerous this year because people might not have the same expectation of him going into the championship," he said.

"Last year everyone thought he was going to go on and win it, no problem, again.It's maybe a bad thing in a way for all of us (that he failed to win) because he'll definitely have a point to prove."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.