Snooker Legends Mark Williams and Ronnie O’Sullivan: Rivalry, Respect, and Honest Exchanges
Mark Williams and Ronnie O’Sullivan, two of snooker’s enduring icons, have found themselves back in the spotlight as they edge closer to a potential World Snooker Championship showdown. Both original members of the famous ‘Class of 92’, alongside John Higgins, Williams and O’Sullivan have shaped modern snooker with their skill, longevity and sometimes, their candid opinions.
Their journey to this year’s semi-finals once again demonstrated their undiminished prowess. Williams, affectionately known as the Welsh Potting Machine, secured his place after a nail-biting decider against Higgins. Meanwhile, O’Sullivan, widely regarded by many as the greatest to grace the green baize, dispatched rising Chinese star Si Jiahui in a composed 13-9 win.
Despite a relationship built on more than 30 years of fierce competition, Williams and O’Sullivan have maintained a notable level of mutual respect. Yet, with such long-standing rivalries, heated exchanges are perhaps inevitable. One memorable instance of tension came during the 2020 World Championship.
At that time, O’Sullivan caused a stir when he issued a blunt critique of lower-ranked players. Speaking before a quarter-final match with Williams, the Rocket declared that the standard of younger professionals was lacking, suggesting he’d have to “lose an arm and a leg” to drop out of the world’s top 50. “Players like Higgins and Williams, compared to me, the younger players are not that good… most would do well as half-decent amateurs,” O’Sullivan asserted, adding that their continued dominance reflected poorly on the tour’s quality.
Williams was quick to respond, voicing disappointment at being included in O’Sullivan’s sweeping assessment. In an interview with BBC Sport, he remarked, “I understand what he was saying – that the standard’s no good – but that’s compared to him, and he’s including me in that.” Williams emphasised O’Sullivan’s status as the sport’s leading figure, but suggested that publicly criticising other professionals was a step too far. “You’d never have another top sportsman in their field disrespecting or slagging off the rest of the tour,” he added. “For him to have a go at the lower-ranked players, I think, is a bit naughty.”
In the years since, the two stars have found a common thread, working with the same respected coach, Lee Walker. Williams has enjoyed a longstanding partnership with Walker, while O’Sullivan sought his guidance last year to rejuvenate his own game. However, results did not immediately follow for O’Sullivan, whose season faltered after he famously broke his cue in a fit of frustration during the Championship League in January. Williams, ever the joker, wryly remarked at the Welsh Open, “Well, he’s doing well with Ronnie at the minute… Ronnie’s pulled out of the last five tournaments and snapped his cue!” With characteristic humour, he added, “It’s all a masterplan to get him out of the way.”
Despite his own decorated career, including three world titles, Williams continues to play down his achievements in comparison to his peers from the ‘Class of 92’. Speaking after his latest Crucible victory, he maintained: “I’ve never really liked the ‘Class of 92’ label. I’ve always said those two are the best players in the world ever.” Such humility underscores the high regard in which Williams holds O’Sullivan and Higgins.
Off the table, Williams points out the differences between himself and O’Sullivan’s public personas. Whilst Ronnie often courts headlines with his outspoken views, Williams has said, “I’m the total opposite. I don’t even want to do interviews ahead of big tournaments. I’m only here now because I’d get fined!”
As the championship progresses and the possibility of a Williams-O’Sullivan final looms, snooker fans can enjoy not only world-class play, but also the honest exchanges and sporting respect that have defined this great rivalry. For a sport steeped in tradition and personality, the ongoing saga between these two living legends continues to captivate audiences across the globe.