Ronnie O’Sullivan was a eager observer as snooker fan Novak Djokovic received his 2024 Wimbledon marketing campaign off to a profitable begin on Tuesday.
The Rocket was within the Serbian’s field on Centre Courtroom as Djokovic powered to a cushty victory over Vit Kopriva at SW19.
O’Sullivan and Djokovic have each skilled prolonged spells on the prime of their respective sports activities and undoubtedly share a kindred ardour for profitable.
The place Djokovic is a seven-time Wimbledon winner, O’Sullivan has been topped the Crucible champion on the identical variety of events.
The Rocket has accrued a document 23 Triple Crown titles, one shy of the document 24 males’s Grand Slam trophies that Djokovic has up to now tallied.
It seems as if the 2 might need struck up a brand new friendship after assembly for the primary time, with a snooker lesson probably on the playing cards for tennis’ former world primary.
“I’m his fan. I watch snooker simply due to him,” Novak Djokovic stated throughout his post-match press convention.
“I watched once I was a child. Actually, I watched him play a few years in the past. My father cherished watching snooker.”
“I solely watched Ronnie. At any time when he wouldn’t play, I wouldn’t watch. We simply had a meet-up, an interplay for the primary time – It was nice.
“He was one of many sport greats that I used to observe once I was a child. It was very nice to have him round.
“Hopefully we’re in a position to play some snooker, as a result of I’m actually dangerous at snooker. I’m okay at pool or billiards, however snooker? I attempted it twice, and it’s actually, actually robust.
“It’s superb. He’s a very nice particular person, a pleasant man and really humorous.”
Djokovic encounters British wildcard Jacob Fearnley within the second spherical as he continues his bid to equal Roger Federer’s eight Wimbledon titles.
O’Sullivan, in the meantime, shall be subsequent seen on the inexperienced baize later in July when he makes an attempt to defend the distinguished Shanghai Masters.
The invitational occasion runs from July fifteenth to twenty first on the Shanghai Grand Stage, with O’Sullivan hoping to emerge with the silverware in China for a sixth time.
2024 Shanghai Masters draw
Spherical 1
Zhang Anda vs Wildcard
Ali Carter vs Wildcard
Tom Ford vs Si Jiahui
Mark Williams vs Wildcard
Gary Wilson vs Pang Junxu
Jak Jones vs Wildcard
John Higgins vs Lyu Haotian
Barry Hawkins vs Zhou Yuelong
Spherical 2
Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Zhang/Wildcard
Ding Junhui vs Carter/Wildcard
Luca Brecel vs Ford/Si
Judd Trump vs Williams/Wildcard
Mark Allen vs G. Wilson/Pang
Mark Selby vs Jones/Wildcard
Shaun Murphy vs Higgins/Lyu
Kyren Wilson vs Hawkins/Zhou
Featured photograph credit score: Peter Menzel ; WST