Ronnie O'Sullivan's shock actions in TV studio - 'I don't think he's ever been like that'

Ronnie O'Sullivan left snooker legend Ken Doherty stunned with his unusually jubilant behaviour in the TV studio following his historic double 147 performance - a display of happiness Doherty insists he's "never" seen from the Rocket before. O'Sullivan, 49, etched his name deeper into snooker folklore by becoming the first player ever to make two maximum 147 breaks in the same match during his semi-final clash against Chris Wakelin at the recent Saudi Arabia Masters.

The feat came in a best-of-11 frames encounter, with the first max break coming in the opening frame. He also posted breaks of 134 and 142, showcasing the kind of form that has fans buzzing about his longevity in the sport. But it was O'Sullivan's post-match antics in the studio that truly caught Doherty off guard. "I don't think he has ever been like that after a match," the Irish icon, a former world champion himself, said speaking exclusively to Express Sport, via Betway. "When he came into the studio, we were having a good laugh with him, Ronnie was happy, was laughing his head off and normally he downplays everything, but he seemed really in a good place which was great to see."

Doherty was equally impressed with the sheer spectacle of O'Sullivan's on-table brilliance. "They were just incredible," he said of the two 147s. "Just to witness that live and for it to be on TV was just unbelievable, it was unprecedented.

"It was historic and was absolutely amazing. But it is what Ronnie O'Sullivan does and it was an incredible best of 11 [frames], two 147 breaks, a 134 and a 142."

The seven-time world champion's upbeat mood extended to his satisfaction with his equipment, as Doherty noted: "He was really happy with his new cue as well. I think the guy who made the cue for him, Sunny Akani, is going to be very busy over the next few months making cues for all different people. It was great to see him in good form, good spirits and playing so well."

Despite O'Sullivan's recent hints at retirement - including public musings about hanging up his cue amid the grind of the tour - Doherty believes the Rocket is far from done.

Reflecting on his performance in the Saudi final, where he staged a remarkable comeback from 7-2 down against Neil Robertson only to lose 10-9, Doherty said: "The way he played and the level of which he played in, even in the final to come back from 7-2 down against Neil Robertson to go 9-8 up, I thought he was unlucky and Neil Robertson did really well to win 10-9.

"But I thought Ronnie was unlucky with the couple of splits that he had and he could have won the game 10-8 or 10-9 because he was in the last frame as well. But Ronnie can go on for another few years and could even continue until he is 60 if he wants to."

Doherty, who regularly faced O'Sullivan during his prime in the 1990s and 2000s, reckons the drive for an eighth Crucible crown is what keeps the Rocket - who also became the oldest player ever to make a 147 break last week - firing on all cylinders. "I think Ronnie wants to win that elusive eighth world title and it will be high on his priority," he explained.

"He likes to play in the big tournaments. The Saudi event you could see how much it means to him; he was banging the table with frustration when things weren't going well which is a good sign that he really wants to win it.

"He loves the big tournaments like the Saudi one, the Masters, the UK and the World Championship, which is his main priority. Ronnie loves winning and is a winner, he's always won and wants to keep winning and stay at the top for as long as he can."

When it comes to facing O'Sullivan at his peak, Doherty shared insights from his own battles, emphasising the mental fortitude required. "When you played Ronnie, you used to try not to think about who you were playing," he recalled.

"Play your own game and it was like trying to hold onto a racehorse but it was very difficult at times but you have to play your own game and concentrate about that because if you think about Ronnie's game all of the time, well then you are on the backfoot but if you can be confident in your own game.

"I think that's what was so great about Neil Robertson, he focused on his own game and didn't worry about who was in the other chair or with it being Ronnie. It was an honour for him to play Ronnie, but it also inspired him and that's the attitude you need when you play against these great players."

With O'Sullivan showing no signs of slowing down - and that rare moment of public jubilation suggesting he's enjoying the game more than ever - snooker fans can only hope the Rocket's fire burns bright for years to come. As Doherty puts it, when Ronnie's in this mood, anything is possible.