Ronnie O'Sullivan and Jimmy White name their bogey players

29/10/2023 15:48

Ronnie O’Sullivan has a good record against most players he has faced over his epic snooker career, but recalls plenty of struggles against John Parrott, who he has picked out as his bogey player.

Parrott was a force at the top of the game when O’Sullivan burst onto the scene, winning the 1991 World Championship, a year before the Rocket turned professional.

The teenage O’Sullivan quickly made an impression, winning the 1993 UK Championship, but he struggled to get the better of Parrott.

The pair first met in ’93 and Parrott would go on to win their first six clashes, including a 13-3 walloping in the 1994 World Championship at the Crucible.

O’Sullivan first beat his bogey player at the 1995 Masters and would pick up more wins over him, but Parrott retired with an 8-4 winning record against the now seven-time world champion, beating the Rocket as recently as the 2000 Masters.

Asked for his bogey player by Eurosport, O’Sullivan said: ‘John Parrott was that player for me, I think he beat me the first seven times we played [Parrott actually won their first six meetings].

‘He played great and I never used to play against him, that’s sometimes what happens, you know.’