Snooker legend Ronnie O'Sullivan vows to be world champion in another sport in 'two, three years'

‘The Rocket’ has been in the Far East this week making his big stage debut in the Chinese 8-ball pool world.

In Hangzhou, China, O’Sullivan took part in a special exhibition event titled the “Battle of the Century” as he faced both Chu Bingjie and Zheng Yubo - two of the biggest and most decorated stars from the global Chinese 8-ball pool circuit.

Chinese 8-ball pool - also often referred to as ‘heyball’ - is essentially a hybrid cuesport which is gaining popularity worldwide. It is effectively played on a small-sized snooker table that has a napped cloth and snooker-style cut pockets. American pool balls - which are larger and heavier than snooker balls - are used.

In simple terms, the object of the game is to pot either the 'spots' or 'stripes' followed by the 8-ball to win the frame.

Given little hope by pundits before the event, O’Sullivan - who turned 50 earlier this month - exceeded expectations as he impressed in a number of departments, getting to grips with the different rules, tactics, and equipment.

In his opening tie, O’Sullivan defeated Chu 7-5, wrapping up victory with a break and clearance in the final frame.

Chu is arguably the best heyball exponent in the world today, and the only ‘Level 12’ player in the elite ranking system used in China.

It is reported that Chu has won millions of dollars in prize money in recent years. Earlier in 2025 whilst competing on the lucrative Duya Legends Tour he scooped around £200,000 for winning an event before collecting a purse of around £500,000 for becoming champion at the Global Finals.

In 2024, Chu won the 12th edition of the prestigious JOY World Heyball Masters, defeating Zhao Ruliang 21-15 in the final to claim the $700,000 top prize. The reigning World Heyball Masters champion is former snooker professional Niu Zhuang who won the 2025 edition in Chengdu.

Against Zheng - World Heyball Masters champion in 2023 - O’Sullivan recovered from 6-2 down to force a deciding frame, and when his opponent went in-off from his break shot in the final frame, the record 41-time snooker ranking event winner cleared the balls in one visit for a 7-6 comeback victory.

Of course, you have to take the above results with a pinch of salt with the action essentially being an exhibition showcase, but it was cool seeing superstars from different baize pursuits facing each other.

Following his brace of wins on debut, O’Sullivan revealed his intentions to play on the competitive Chinese 8-ball pool circuit once his snooker career is over by saying: “I’ve never been that excited about a game. This is going to be the future for me once snooker’s finished.”

Now, in a video shared on social media, O’Sullivan has upped the ante by saying that he will be world pool 8-ball champion in ‘two, three years’.

It’s not the first time that O’Sullivan has tested the water in other cuesport disciplines. He represented Team Europe at the Mosconi Cup in 1996 and 1997 - scoring a singles win over one of 9-ball pool’s greatest-ever players, Earl Strickland, at the ‘96 edition.

Several years later, the Englishman travelled across the Atlantic to take part in the International Pool Tour (IPT), a bold new series for American 8-ball pool that promised huge riches before the circuit unceremoniously collapsed.

Should O’Sullivan go on to achieve success on the smaller table, he wouldn’t be the first player to have won major titles in two different and distinctive cuesport codes.

Nearly eight years before he claimed the first of his world snooker crowns at the Crucible, Mark Selby won the 2006 WEPF World 8-Ball Pool Championship in Blackpool. In late 2022, Selby teamed up with brother-in-law Gareth Potts to win the live televised Ultimate Pool Pairs Cup title.

The versatile Selby nearly achieved the unique honour of being the reigning world champion in two different cuesports when he reached the final of the World Chinese 8-Ball Championship in early 2015 where he was denied by Darren Appleton 21-19 in the showpiece fixture in Yushan. Appleton had previously won world titles in 10-ball pool (2008) and 9-ball pool (2012).

A few months ago in Brisbane, Potts - who has won four world titles in English 8-ball - claimed the WPA World Heyball Championship.