“Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are like machines, but Roger Federer is an artist,” Ronnie O’Sullivan in awe of Federer’s style of play
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Roger Federer
The English snooker player Ronnie O’Sullivan has compared himself to the greatest footballer of all time, Lionel Messi, and the 20-time grand slam winner Roger Federer by saying that the way he plays makes it harder to succeed.
The victory claimed by the 46-year old player at the crucible in 2020, with his energetic way of playing and the risks he takes at crucial stages of the match has always attracted a large number of fans across the world. Being a six-time world champion and despite his refusal to make a mistake from the brand of snooker has led to a strong and unwavering fan base making his accomplishments extraordinary as noted by him.
“I have played a brand of snooker that is very difficult to play as an individual sportsman,” O’Sullivan said in an interview ahead of the World Championship.
The English player puts forward the examples of fellow sporting members, Messi and Federer to state the point that the confident and stylish way of playing by these sportsmen can be successful at the very highest level but doing so can make it harder to attain glory.
“For someone like Lionel Messi, playing in a football team, I suppose he is just told to do what he is good at and they have other people covering for him where maybe he doesn’t want to run around and chase the ball,” he said.
‘It is a lot harder to win tournaments playing Federer’s style than Nadal’: Ronnie O’Sullivan
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer at the 2017 Miami Masters
He went on to say that although Nadal might statistically be the greatest player of all time, a lot of people would give that designation to Federer.
“A little bit like Federer in tennis. Who is the greatest of all time? Statistically, you would say Nadal, but the way he did it, a lot of people would say Federer is the greatest of all time. So it depends on how you want to judge it, I suppose,” he said.
“It is a lot harder to win tournaments playing Federer’s style than Nadal. Nadal will break you down. Djokovic will break you down. They are like machines, but Federer is a bit of an artist. So playing that style in an individual sport is going to leave you open to being picked off or maybe worn down in many situations.”
As stated by O’Sullivan it becomes harder and harder to succeed because of the expectations put on him due to his glorious achievements in the sport and with other players desperate to claim a win.
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Niveditta Nedungadan
(6 Articles Published)