Joe O’Connor’s Journey to Ranking Event Success
Joe O’Connor is steadily making his way toward becoming a ranking event winner, and he believes that the moment will come soon. The 29-year-old has reached three ranking finals this season, including the Championship League final, but has yet to claim victory in any of them. While there is no cause for alarm, these appearances demonstrate that he is competing at the highest level. However, O’Connor is aware of the criticism that he struggles when the pressure is on.
Despite the challenges, O’Connor remains composed and confident. He does not see the repeated final appearances as a sign of failure but rather as a stepping stone toward future success. “I know it’s coming,” he said. “People have mentioned it to me before about getting into finals and I can’t win them, and that sort of thing, but it really doesn’t bother me.”
He acknowledges that he hasn’t played his best in finals, but he attributes this to early missteps rather than the occasion itself. “I think in all of them I’ve had a slightly bad start and I think that’s been the difference in every final. It can’t keep starting badly, I don’t start every much bad, so it’s just keep knocking on the door, keep getting to as many finals as possible. I’m going to win one and when I win one, a lot more will follow.”
O’Connor has started the season strongly, winning 11 out of 12 matches played. His only loss came against Stephen Maguire in the Championship League final. He now heads to the Saudi Arabia Masters, where he is seen as a dark horse to make a deep run in the high-stakes event.
There has been no dramatic change in his game; instead, it is the result of consistent effort and steady progress. This has led to a career-high world ranking of 28, which he considers the best start to a season he has ever had. “I don’t really start that well usually, so it’s nice to hit the ground running,” he said. “Practice has been good, solid. I mainly do solo and I’ve got a nice routine going.”
Confidence, according to O’Connor, comes from winning matches and playing consistently. “I don’t think I played amazing in the Championship League, it was just steady, solid, never really played bad.” He credits his strong performance to his preparation and mindset.
While O’Connor focuses on solo practice, he has also found time to play against fellow professional Dave Gilbert at his club, where he achieved a notable 154 break. In addition to his snooker training, he is committed to combat sports, which he believes helps him maintain physical fitness.
“I’m up to four boxing sessions a week now, one Thai boxing and two jiu-jitsu sessions,” he explained. “I box and do jiu-jitsu Tuesday morning, Thai box Wednesday morning, box Thursday morning, box and jiu-jitsu, Friday morning, box Sunday morning.”
O’Connor is hopeful that his hard work will pay off in Jeddah, where he aims to defeat opponents just as he has done this season. His dedication both on and off the table is helping him climb the rankings, with the goal of breaking into the world’s top 16.
“It’s all the background work, the fiddling about and the trying to get the practice right and the things that everyone else doesn’t see,” he said. “They’re starting to fall into place and now I feel like that I’m in a position where the only way is up.”
O’Connor will face Wang Yuchen in the Saudi Arabia Masters on Sunday, August 10, at 7:30 pm UK time. As he continues to push forward, his determination and focus remain unwavering.