O’Sullivan kicks up a ‘Storm’ as he looks to push on this season

Stepney Green’s snooker star Sean ‘The Storm’ O’Sullivan believes his excellent run at the Coral Snooker Shoot Out in Watford last weekend will kick start his season.

The 23-year-old overcame China’s Niu Zhuang and former world champion Peter Edbon, before going out in round three to Rainham’s Gerard Greene in this ten- minute, one frame format world ranking event.

“Because the event is such a lottery you are always just happy to get through your first match,” said O’Sullivan who pocketed £1000 for his effects. “That way you feel properly part of the tournament.

“I thought I played pretty well all three matches, potted some great balls under pressure but also panicked a little bit like everyone can with only ten seconds a shot! My long potting especially I thought helped me out a lot.

“It’s only my second time playing in this event and after playing former winner Dominic Dale last year who played great against me, it was nice to get a little run going in the event even if it was only to the last 32 stage. It felt good to get to the final day of play.”

O’Sullivan, who also reached the third round of the Indian Open back in September, will improve from his current world ranking of 129. He sees this event as an excellent opportunity for lower-ranked players to earn good prize money and ranking points.

“It’s a great opportunity as a ranking event for the lower-ranked players to earn some good prize money and ranking points without having to really do too much!

“It will push me up a couple of places, but it only earnt me £1000 in ranking points. So not exactly ground breaking but certainly a platform for finishing the season strongly.”

And O’Sullivan who turned professional in 2012, has his sights firmly set in reaching the main draw of the World Championships at the famous Crucible in Sheffield.

“I’ve got the Welsh Open next up at the end of this month, the Gibraltar Open in March and finally the big one, the World Championships in April. It would certainly be a big goal to qualify for The Crucible this season.”