O'Sullivan aims for fifth triumph in a row - 01/12/2008

RONNIE O'Sullivan will be gunning for his fifth successive Premier League Snooker title this weekend.

Ronnie O'Sullivan with the trophy for winning the Premier League in 2007

The play-offs in the 23rd running of the event, which is sponsored by PartyPoker.com, takes place at Potters Leisure Resort in Hopton on Sea, Norfolk and Essex-based O'Sullivan is hotly tipped to be successful again.

The 33-year-old from Chigwell has made this event his own over the past few years and will face newcomer Joe Perry over the best of nine frames in the second semi-final on Saturday night.

Perry has had a great campaign so far, beating O’Sullivan 4-2 in his opening game and then consolidating on that start to finish second in the round-robin part of the competition.

With £21,000 already banked, Perry, 34, will be on a minimum pay out of £33,500 rising to £71,000 should he be the last man standing on Sunday evening.

"Joe has had a great time of it so far and has shown that he can adapt well to the different conditions of the League," said O’Sullivan.

"I won't be underestimating him at all. He earned his place in the League by winning Championship League Snooker and I’m sure he will be buzzing. I will always back myself against whoever is in front of me, though, and just let them worry about me. Whenever I play I’m competitive even when I am practising.

"I take a lot of pride in my performance and winning means everything to me, particularly this competition."

The opening semi-final features 25-year-old Mark Selby, the world No.4 from Leicester, and veteran seven-time World Champion Stephen Hendry.

The 39-year-old Scotsman is a six-time winner of this event, the last occasion being a 9-6 win over John Higgins at Colwyn Bay, Wales in 2004. But Hendry is under no illusions as to the job in hand and argues that Selby and Perry will be the form horses going into the weekend, rather than O’Sullivan.

"Ronnie is obviously going to be the favourite in every tournament he enters these days, but Mark Selby and Joe Perry actually finished one and two," said Hendry.

"Mark was undefeated and I think Joe only lost once. Joe beat Ronnie, Mark drew with Ronnie.

"I think that was a bit of a surprise, given it was the first time they had been in the league and had to deal with the shot clock and the different format, but it tells you they were obviously very comfortable straight away. I'd argue that they are the ones to beat this weekend."

With a £100,000 prize fund at stake over the weekend, the four competing players carry forward their earnings from the league section of the event which was allocated at £1,000 per frame won, with a further £1,000 if a century was made.

League winner Selby has £29,000, runner-up Perry has £25,000, O’Sullivan holds £25,000 and Hendry banked £18,000.

Sunday’s champion will win an additional £50,000 with the runner-up receiving £25,000 and the two semi-finalists £12,500 each.