Ronnie O’Sullivan finally gets to see for the first time on Monday night the film that will define his legacy.
World No1 and seven-time world champion O’Sullivan, is through to the second round at the Crucible as he bids to win a record eighth crown in Sheffield.
Last year’s emotional triumph was captured by a documentary film crew that had been following O’Sullivan around for the whole season – providing what should be a wonderful finale.
But there have been delays to the Rocket’s 18-month project and changes to the film, meaning it is not now expected to be released until later this year.
A virus-hit and struggling O’Sullivan held off a fightback from debutant Pang Junxu in the first round and will next play either Ding Junhui or Iran’s Hossein Vafaei.
He said: “I’m going to watch it on Monday for the first time. We have got it down to two hours and it needs to be an hour and 45 minutes. It is the first time they have let me see it – I hope I don’t hate it!
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“I gave it my all, and every bit of access I could to make their job easier. And I do know it has changed, from what they thought it was going to be. But I trust them, they can make anyone look good.
“Who knows, maybe they have cut out last year’s seventh world title, and that will be missing! That’s what happened to John Virgo wasn’t it?
“When he won the UK Championships, his only major, the BBC went on strike and it wasn’t filmed. How would you feel?
“It will be in some ways the definitive film of my life. Everyone seems to be intrigued my me. I read what people write, and sometimes I think ‘Is that really about me?’
“Love him, hate him, whatever…all that stuff, is it the Ronnie show…and I wonder how I generate that much interest, good and bad, when I just come here to hit some balls.
“It is weird, but people will get to see the real thing. I want people to go away from watching it thinking that I am a winner.
“It is all I have ever wanted to do, I have tried my hardest all my life to compete and be the best I can be, to give my whole life to snooker.
“I love it, I am grateful for what it has done for me, it has given me an amazing life with amazing moments. I have been the most successful player, along with Stephen Hendry.
“He was my hero and I am happy to share the seven world titles with him. But I am up there, and I have to pinch myself. As a kid I used to rush home from school to watch World Championships.
“There was Joe Johnson and I went to see Steve Davis when I was 14 beat John Parrott in the final session. And now I am here playing.
“Those snooker gods, their timing is unbelievable. Last year I was on fire when the crew were here, and it was in the stars for me. It always has been in this game, if not in my life.
“I have been all over the gaff, as we all are. If you looked at everyone’s lives, you might say ‘I didn’t realise he had that going on’.
“But as far as snooker goes, everything has fallen right for me since I started playing this game.
“And then last year, who could have written that? They follow you around for a season and you win a seventh world championship aged 46. But it’s a good job they weren’t here for my first round this year.”
Meanwhile John Higgins revealed the last time he was in an arena with David Grace, the Leeds pro was the exhibition MC leading the applause as he rattled in a crowd-pleasing 147 maximum break.
But things will be very different on Monday as the four-time world champion takes on world No66 Grace for a place in the second round of the World Championship at the Crucible.
‘Amazing’ Grace, 37, is one of the game’s more multi-talented players, with also a passion for art that has seen him produce many snooker-related portraits – including one of the Scot.
However this is just a second appearance for Grace on the biggest stage, and he is yet to win a match at the Crucible meaning Higgins is a string favourite to progress.
Higgins said: “It’s funny. I did an exhibition last month in Bradford, and he was the MC for the night.
“I did a maximum, he came up, said well done, shook my hand. He says do well at the Crucible, hopefully I’ll see you there.
“Lo and behold next time I'm going to see him is as I’m walking out into the arena. It’s crazy when you think of something like that.
“He did a portrait of me once a few years ago, and showed it to me. There’s not many pictures of me that are very flattering, but it was okay!”
