By Elliott West
“Looking forward to going over to Singapore in June, it should be great. The academy looks fantastic out there”.
Ronnie O’Sullivan
Introduction
After Ronnie O’Sullivan’s historic seventh World Championship victory at this year’s tournament, you would have thought that ‘The Rocket’ would be taking a well-earned break from snooker. However, the legend is now getting ready for a busy summer with an imminent trip to Singapore between 11-18/06/22 to promote snooker via an exhibition. Taking place in June at the Grandstand, Ronnie will play in a member’s only session and three public sessions which include and conclude with a 4-man tournament on 18/06/22.
New Prospects
Of course, there is more to this Far Eastern trip than appears at first sight. O’Sullivan has always had a love for Asian culture, having many friends in the region and has been keen to expand his global brand. Last year Ronnie opened his own snooker academy, the Rossa snooker academy in Singapore and so is returning to see how his new venture is progressing. Set in a 16,000-square feet space, the academy has a number of snooker tables and employees, and several professional coaches, with an aim to try and create an amateur scene and open further academies across the Asian peninsula.
Ronnie is tapping into the hard-working ethic of the Asian continent, a race that strives for prosperity and a good way of living. A trip where he will also put his coaching skills to the test after spending some time mentoring the likes of players such as Zhao Xintong. Exciting times for a venture that already has a firm base of a bustling academy in Singapore.
This is of course not where the journey ends because O’Sullivan aims to also open further academies in China too when the time is right and as the snooker market starts to open up again after two years of the pandemic and the gradual lifting of competitive snooker being played there. All these plans have one main target, to harness young talent and develop those found into professional snooker players for the main tour. Exciting in itself with the possibility of creating a future world champion. Ronnie will also be travelling to Cairo, Egypt to help promote snooker in Africa.
“I was always a boxing fan but then I watched a couple of UFC fights and I absolutely loved it”.
Ronnie O’Sullivan
This is one of a number of ventures that Ronnie will take part in over the Summer and he also wants to try his hand at mixed martial arts. A sport that he fell in love with after going to watch with his best friend, the artist Damien Hurst. Already a lover of boxing, O’Sullivan is fascinated by the grappling involved. He has already gone to Paddy Pimblett’s gym in Liverpool, a man who is well known in UFC and O’Sullivan had been watching the man at work, enthralled by his sparring sessions and now open to the prospect of doing some of his own off the snooker table.
