RONNIE O’SULLIVAN (England)

World ranking: 4
Last five seasons: 4-3-7-8-3
Date of birth: 05-12-75>
Lives: Chigwell, Essex
Turned professional: 1992
Ranking tournament victories: 8
Last season’s prize money: £274,625
Career prize money: £2,105,330
Highest tournament break: 147 - four times

Ronne O’Sullivan became the youngest winner of a world ranking tournament at 17 when he captured the 1993 UK Championship, defeating Stephen Hendry 10-6 in the final.

But despite that early success, the game’s most glittering prize - the Embassy world title - continues to elude him.

A beaten semi-finalist in 1998 (by John Higgins) and 1999 (by Hendry), he suffered a shock 10-9 first round defeat against David Gray in 2000.

That’s not to say O’Sullivan has failed to thrill the Crucible crowd with his swashbuckling style.

He compiled the fastest 147 break on record - in just five minutes and 20 seconds - during his first round match against Mick Price in 1997. It was worth a massive £165,000.

O’Sullivan is a regular maximum man.

The ‘Rocket’ made his first in competition at the age of 15 in the English Amateur Championship and has compiled four as a pro, including the three fastest.

Two of them came last season in the Grand Prix and the Regal Scottish.

He went on to win the latter tournament, thrashing Mark Williams 9-1 in the final at Aberdeen.

It was his second success of the season, following on his 9-2 defeat of Stephen Lee in the final of the China Open in Shanghai in December.

Winner of the UK title for a second time in 1997, O’Sullivan was crowned British Open champion in 1994 and won the Benson and Hedges Masters in 1995, displaying an extraordinary ability to knock in big breaks both right-handed and left.

He undoubtedly has the talent to become world champion but has yet to prove he has the stamina and concentration necessary to last the 17-day marathon at Sheffield.

“I want to be world champion,” he insists.

“Just to reach the final would be a thrill as there is so much top-class competition now.”