Ronnie O’Sullivan and snooker legend ‘got battered’ while playing for £400
As one-third of snooker’s illustrious Class of ’92, Mark Williams delved into the arduous journey that he, John Higgins, and Ronnie O’Sullivan had when coming up in the sport
Mark Williams lamented the easy path snooker professionals have nowadays as he revealed the tough journey he and Ronnie O’Sullivan were forced to endure. The three-time world champion certainly didn’t experience the perks that the current generation of pros receive as he delved into what life was like when first trying to make a name in the sport.
Williams – who failed to add a fourth world title to his name after his 18-12 defeat by Zhao Xintong in the 2025 World Snooker Championship – said the difficulty of the tough circuit during his amateur days forged him and his fellow Class of ’92 alumni, O’Sullivan and John Higgins, into the players they’ve since become.
Speaking to SportsBoom, the Welshman insisted: “I think being a pro is too easy now. You get on the tour now, and you’ve got £40,000 guaranteed with your two-year tour card.
“The amateur game when me, Ronnie and John were playing was every weekend, you’d get battered without fail. It would be 3-0, 3-0, 3-0, and you’d keep going. That’s how you learn your trade, really.
“When we were on the tour, you had to win 10 matches for like £400, staying in bed and breakfasts for three months at a time. It was tough. I think it’s too easy now compared to what it used to be.
“I think the players are not getting hammered enough in pro-ams because the circuits just aren’t there anymore. Every single weekend, you could have two pro-ams on the same day. We used to play in every single one of them. I think that’s stood me in good stead.
“I wasn’t winning any of these pro-ams, I was getting hammered every single time, but I would go back for more. The young ones today seem to be winning everything in the junior events. The more hammerings you have, and you keep coming back, it toughens you up.”
Despite racking up over 30 years as a professional, Williams remains on top of his game, shown by his run to the world championship final, but was undone by the Chinese starlet who’s been tipped for greatness by O’Sullivan.
Having bested The Rocket in the semi-final, the seven-time world champion said the 28-year-old would become a “megastar” if he went on to win the title. “I think it would be amazing,” the 49-year-old said.
“I think if he did win, he would be a megastar. He’s still very big in China as it is. But if he becomes world champion, it would just be amazing for snooker and for his life as well.
“He can definitely get over the line. I think he’ll have more of a test (in the final). That will be a proper test for him. He played great. You have to give credit where it’s due. We’ve got a really nice relationship. I’m always trying to help him if I can.”
