‘He’s been losing & people aren’t frightened like they used to be’ – Snooker legend says O’Sullivan has lost fear factor

DENNIS TAYLOR reckons Ronnie O’Sullivan has lost his fear factor – and for it to return he needs to reunite with mind coach Steve Peters.

The Rocket – who turned 49 last Thursday – surrendered his UK Championship crown on day one in York last month as he lost to eventual finalist Barry Hawkins.

The last trophy he lifted was back in March – the World Masters of Snooker in Saudi Arabia – and this season, he has not been competitive nor able to reach his normal soaring heights.

Judd Trump, Kyren Wilson, Mark Allen and Mark Williams have been the standout performers in recent months and the frontrunners for silverware.

And according to Taylor, when O’Sullivan arrives in Edinburgh for the Scottish Open – he opens up against China’s Xing Zihao on Tuesday evening – he will not strike fear into his rivals in the draw.

For that to change, the 1985 world snooker champion reckons O’Sullivan needs to hook up with the longstanding sports psychiatrist, the mastermind behind several of his seven world titles.

Taylor, 75 told : “It’s a mental thing with Ronnie and Steve Peters was around and did wonders for him. He’s won plenty of world titles.

“I don’t see Steve Peters around and Ronnie needs something like that to get him into the right mind.

“Sometimes when Ronnie walks into the arena, you just sense with the expression on his face that he’s not quite there with it.

“But when he’s got that snooker face on and goes out there, he’s so difficult to beat.