Another sabbatical for Ronnie O'Sullivan

So the sabbatical that “Rocket” Ronnie O’Sullivan earned and making use of it in his insane and queer off-the-table ways did not stop (but seem to have rather helped) him from winning the Betfair World Snooker Championship 2013 title yesterday.

Many a people speculated about Ronnie’s so called idiosyncrasies and idiotic ways of practicing the colorful game off the table.

And on the table Ronnie, though not at his very best, was defeating seeds with sublime potting, controlled swerves, innovative safeties, fantastic snookers and spectacular escapes and yet was losing the interest in the game for being his own competitor rather than the other 15 seeds and 16 qualifiers. He had no complaints. He wanted to be heard (Mr. Hearn please), he never wanted to dictate (except on the table) and certainly did not want to be dictated off the table.

But if Ronnie had extraordinary ideas, then the bosses at the green baize did not lag behind with their own bizarre ones and if Barry Hearn has his ways (he normally has), then the only-two-visits-to-washroom per session idea might well be seen next year at Betfair 2014. This uninteresting, unwanted and undesired gamesmanship always need suitable shoulders and counter gamesmanship. And fearless Ronnie has some broad shoulders. Rather, he and only he, with his wizardry, can come out trumps in the face of such sinisterly designed situations.

After clinching victory, Ronnie was magnanimous in giving full credit to Dr. Steve Peters that it was he who gave him (Ronnie) a new way of seeing things and the doctor was instrumental for his back–to–back titles. Dr. Peters, the sport psychiatrist, found those missing moments from Ronnie’s daily drudgery. One thing Dr. Peters knew well was that his “patient” loved his game (even now) beyond anything and ‘that’ premise was sufficient. He wanted to help his patient rediscover his love for the game by striking the right balance with other things in life.

Simply to be in love, and to be in love passionately, shifts the paradigm immensely. And the scientist was at work much the same way Ronnie works for his breaks with all the colors (including White) at his command.

Dr. Peters had a job at his hands and he slowly and steadily with utmost care, lest he injures the volatile persona, and precision started removing the many fine and ticklish layers that Ronnie had consciously and subconsciously wrapped around him to protect (!) him not only from his enemies, but also from himself.

Perfect diagnosis, willing patient and a selfless and unassuming doctor – the lethal combination had to deliver. And well, what a deliverance! A flawless performance to defend the title.

But more than that, Ronnie admitted that, deep down in his heart, he would love to play snooker and he always loved it. Has Barry Hearn heard him? Has Ronnie earned another sabbatical?