Glimpse inside tortured Ronnie's mind is gripping but perplexing viewing

THE guitarist of the Rolling Stones is leaning over the green baize of a snooker table quoting Russian playwright Anton Chekhov.

- Matt Majendie

Ronnie Wood is slightly butchering what Chekhov actually wrote - "any idiot can face a crisis - it's day-to-day living that wears you out" - but it aptly sums up his close friend, Ronnie O'Sullivan.

The Rocket is every bit the tortured genius in Ronnie O'Sullivan: The Edge of Everything, a captivating new documentary by Sam Blair covering the 2022 season with snooker's greatest-ever player.

Director and subject met three months before filming, clicked and started filming in December 2021, climaxing at the World Championships the following April. And nearly two hours inside O'Sullivan's head are an absolute rollercoaster, and he gives every impression that living it day in, day out is a constant grind.

The highs are not that high anymore; the lows more long lasting.

This is as much a lesson in mental health as it is a snapshot into a gifted sportsman, who has been playing the game for four decades with the eyes of the sport watching and critiquing his every move.