RONNIE'S GREAT NUMBERS IN 2021/22

We know that Ronnie O'Sullivan has always been judged by high standards that he's set himself throughout the years, and we also know that since winning the World Championship at the Crucible in August 2020 he hasn't been at the very top of his form. However, as it's been already well documented, Ronnie won the World Grand Prix last week - his only trophy of 2021 in the very last tournament of the year. 

Ahead of the final against Neil Robertson, he was unusually the underdog. And rightly so, since as of late Ronnie's been struggling a lot against the very top players, dropping his level when he meets the likes of Neil or Trump, Selby and of course Higgins (who beat him five times this year). But has he been bad enough to justify the narrative over it? For a year we've been hearing that he's past his best, and lately it would be usual to come across people saying he should retire. To top all of that, before the final Stephen Hendry predicted Robertson to win 10-3.

I know Hendry is paid to give his opinion, but is he - along the rest of the media - measuring Ronnie's performance with the same tools they measure everyone else's? Looking at some numbers I'll address here, that 10-3 prediction could sound clueless.

Of course now we know the prediction was wrong and it's easy to say that afterwards, but even going into this tournament, Ronnie already led Neil Robertson in centuries made and ranking points scored. Yes, we know Neil missed a few events this season, but Ronnie does have a better 50-break per frame rate than the Australian, too.

O'Sullivan was the 7th seed in the World Grand Prix, what means that before the tournament he already was 7th in the one-year ranking list. That's better than not just Neil as mentioned already, but also better than Selby, Trump and Kyren.  

Now that he's won it, Ronnie is up to third in the one-year list (only behind the UK Championship finalists Luca Brecel and Zhao Xintong). That matches his actual World Ranking position, and proves that he's still top 3 not only because of his 2020 World Championship points, but because he's kept it up.

Throughout his entire career, people have expected Ronnie to perform up to the very high standards he's set, and when he does he's simply unbeatable. But reflecting on his numbers this season, those predictions before the final were clearly unfair. Call it as his "B" or "C" game if you want, he's still a threat to anyone and one of the main contenders at any tournament. 

He might not produce his very best as often as he did in the past, he's certainly not improving at age 46, but as he showed in that final his competitiveness is as strong as ever, and he's never far from that top gear. When he hits it he's still the best in the business, and being the clutch player that he is if you can't shake him off he'll find form when it matters. That's how he won the World Title last year, with consecutive wins against Ding Junhui, Mark Williams, Mark Selby and Kyren Wilson in matches that he hung in there until he he found top form when the end was near. And that's how he'll keep winning tournaments - for how long we're yet to find out.

It could turn out to be a turnaround victory this one for him but regardless, he has reminded everyone that he's still a force to be feared in this game, not just the sport's biggest box office.

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