Maguire aims to bring down the rocket
Scotsman Stephen Maguire insists he’s going to go all out for glory against Ronnie O’Sullivan in the Embassy World Championships next week - even if it results in a quick debut exit.
The 23-year-old Glaswegian’s first trip to Sheffield for the sport’s premier event sees him take on the talented Essex maverick in the first round.
Maguire, who won his first major title in March in the European Open in Malta, has already lost twice in their two previous meetings but he’s confident that his bold attacking approach will make it third time lucky on his first visit to the Crucible.
He said: “I’ve played Ronnie twice before and both times I could have won.
“I was down 3-1 at the interval in Malta last year and I came out and brought it back to 3-3 but then I never got a shot after that. He upped the gears and that was that. So I had no complaints.
“The second time I played him was this year and I definitely had him when I was 3-2 up.
“But I missed a red into the middle and I never saw another ball for the next two games. So I know I can beat him, it’s just actually doing it.
Maguire’s best hope could be catching the erratic Englishman in one his infamously less than focused moods but the Glaswegian travels south expecting his opponent to be on top of his game.
