RONNIE O’SULLIVAN is looking to find the next star of snooker in his Saudi Arabian academy – and hopefuls are surrounded with plenty of inspiration.
The seven-time world champion opened his own complex in October after signing a lucrative three-year ambassadorial deal.
Ronnie O’Sullivan launched a snooker academy in Saudi Arabia[/caption]
SunSport visited the complex in Riyadh[/caption]
Highlights of O’Sullivan play outside[/caption]
The entrance is decked out with memorabilia[/caption]
Signed memorabilia fills the complex[/caption]
SunSport took a trip to Riyadh’s Boulevard City to visit the Rocket’s academy – and was immediately greeted with a TV monitor playing O’Sullivan’s highlights.
The front desk is filled with memorabilia and Saudi-themed decoration – including a cardboard cutout of a camel.
Former professional Nigel Bond – a friend of O’Sullivan’s for 40 years – was on hand to greet SunSport and offer a tour of the complex.
Members and casual players have tables downstairs and upstairs to choose from – all decked out with O’Sullivan’s matchday gear.
Signed shirts, cues and pictures are all on display from the games rooms to stairs.
One lounge area even has O’Sullivan’s best career highlights on constant loop – in case players are in need of any motivation.
Bond – a World Championship finalist – has known O’Sullivan since the British legend was 11 years old and they spent years together on the tour.
So when the Saudis green lit the academy project, Rocket put in a good word for his old pal on the circuit.
Members and casual players are welcomed[/caption]
O’Sullivan is looking to scout snooker’s next star[/caption]
Even a pool table is available[/caption]
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Bond now heads up the coaching and reports back to boss O’Sullivan.
He said: “I keep in contact with Ronnie. He asks me kind of on a regular basis how things are going.
“He was out here for the official opening and then he was out here for the 167 back in December. He’s got a contract out here.”
O’Sullivan and Bond are offering free lessons to juniors in their bid to scout the next star of snooker.
Bond said: “I suppose we’re try create that legacy if you like. It needs one good player to kind of come through.
“You see with China, what happened with Ding [Junhui], and then obviously the game exploded, same in Thailand.
“I turned professional the same year as James Wattana, again the game exploded in Thailand.
“I mean, it’s not easy, but that’s ultimately what Ronnie would like to see is obviously a Saudi player playing on the tour.”
Saudi is attracting huge sports stars over to the Middle East, including football icon Cristiano Ronaldo, playing for Al-Nassr.
And O’Sullivan helped launch the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters – where a total prize fund of £2.3million was on offer.
But perhaps the most affected by the Kingdom’s deep pockets is boxing with powerful politician Turki Al-Sheikh at the forefront.
Al-Sheikh – Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority – also cut the deal for O’Sullivan to join the Saudi regime.
And he works closely with promoter Eddie Hearn, whose dad Barry is president of the PDC.
Eddie – also PDC chairman – has visited the O’Sullivan academy and even tested out Bond’s cue.
Bond revealed: “Eddie Hearn came over for the boxing. Gave him a little bit of a tour, he played a few shots.”
The former British Open champion also revealed boxers like Liam Smith regularly pop in for a quick game.
O’Sullivan was just 16 when he turned pro and now he wants to replicate his own success by finding a protege.
Bond said: “He’s put his name name to the academy and he would like to see some good junior players coming through really.”
O’Sullivan greatest highlights play on loop in this lounge area[/caption]
A signed snooker top is framed on the wall[/caption]
