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Ronnie O'Sullivan names Michael Jordan and one other huge star as two of the sporting GOATs

Home> Snooker

Published 15:29 18 Jul 2024 GMT+1

Ronnie O'Sullivan names Michael Jordan and one other huge star as two of the sporting GOATs

O'Sullivan was quick to give his answer.

Ryan Smart

Ryan Smart

Ronnie O'Sullivan has named Michael Jordan and another major sporting star as two of the greatest sportspeople to ever live.

Jordan is widely considered as the greatest NBA player in history, having won six NBA Championships with the Chicago Bulls.

He was named as the NBA Finals MVP on six occasions, and was a four-time gold medallist at the Olympic Games.

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On an individual scale, Jordan was named in the NBA All-Star Team on 14 occasions - a number yet to be matched by any other professional basketball player.

O'Sullivan, meanwhile, is viewed by many as the greatest snooker player to have ever played the sport. He has won seven World Championships - the joint-most in history alongside Stephen Hendry.

During an interview with WST, 'The Rocket' named Jordan as one of the two sportspeople he believes are the greatest of all time.

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His other pick was none other than tennis legend Novak Djokovic, who has won a record 24 men's Grand Slam singles titles.

Only Roger Federer has won more Wimbledon titles than the Serb's seven in the Open Era, although no male player has matched Djokovic's 11 singles titles at the Australian Open.

The 37-year-old recovered from knee surgery in under three weeks to compete at this year's Wimbledon, where he was beaten in straight sets by Carlos Alcaraz in the final.

Speaking to WST, O'Sullivan said of Djokovic and Jordan: "He has to be up there with Michael Jordan as the greatest sportsperson that there's ever been in any sport, not just tennis.

"I think every sportsperson looks at people like Djokovic and Michael Jordan and goes, 'OK, what can I learn from them?'

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"Obviously, watching his [Djokovic's] career, and then meeting him and going to watch him, we've had a few WhatsApp messages and stuff like that. Yeah, it's great."

The meeting that O'Sullivan is referencing was at Wimbledon, with 'The Rocket' visiting SW19 to watch Djokovic win his first round match against Vit Kopriva.

Ronnie O'Sullivan pictured at Wimbledon -
Getty

After that match had concluded, Djokovic said of his sporting contemporary: "I'm his fan. I watch snooker just because of him. I watched when I was a kid ... I only watched Ronnie. Whenever he would not play, I would not watch.

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"We just had a meet-up, an interaction for the first time. It was great. It was really nice to have him around.

"Hopefully we're able to play some snooker, because I'm really bad at snooker. I'm okay at pool or billiards.

"He's a really, really nice person, nice guy and very funny."

Featured Image Credit: Getty / WST

Topics: Snooker, Ronnie OSullivan, Michael Jordan, NBA, Tennis, Wimbledon

Ryan Smart
Ryan Smart

Live in constant hope of the top flight as a Preston North End fan. Written in the past for SPORF, GiveMeSport and more.

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