Most high profile sports are lucky enough to have had, or have today, those special sportsmen and women who seem to define a generation. Roger Federer, Phil Taylor, Usain Bolt – these names are seemingly synonymous with the sports which they shaped and dominated. Inspiring others to get involved and try their hand, it is not an understatement to say that these superstars have far-reaching global influence on millions of people.

And amongst this rather illustrious crew, sits a plucky round-faced Essex boy called Ronnie.

It is all too easy to describe someone as a ‘prodigy’, or as ‘born to play the game’, but Ronnie O’Sullivan and snooker are a match made in heaven. A century break at the age of 10, a first clearance at 12, a maximum at 15; these are the signs of someone out of the ordinary.

Almost anyone who has seen Ronnie at the table since can’t help but use words like ‘natural’, ‘easy’, ‘graceful’ and other such compliments to describe his play. For those less familiar, a quick YouTube search for the quickest 147 break ever at the 1997 World Championships (you’ll have to sacrifice just 5 minutes 20 seconds for the privilege), will illustrate these points nicely. It really does seem impossible to think of him doing anything else, but potting small balls into pockets.

So, just as Ronnie cleans up his seventh Masters title and 28th career ranking crown, he certainly does seem to be an anomaly to that old maxim: ‘success is 99 per cent perspiration, 1 per cent inspiration’.

"Snooker without Ronnie is like chips without ketchup: it’s good, but you know it could be better"

He himself has admitted he finds it upsetting that others forget to appreciate how hard he has worked to get to where he is now. A natural aptitude he has in abundance, but only hard work and practice has nurtured that talent into the most exciting player the sport has ever seen.

There have been some hugely influential players in the past. Steve Davis’ frightening long potting, along with his clean-cut image and professional attitude, did wonders for the sport. Stephen Hendry introduced an aggressive style, more eager to split open the pack of reds than anyone previously, which no-one could match for years. Even today the sport is rich and varied, from the masterful tactics of John Higgins to the near recklessness that young Judd Trump delivers so regularly. And with a rapidly growing number of top players from the far east, snooker is certainly entering a new global era.

But O’Sullivan has something more, those extra few per cent that turn a great player into a true icon. His matches attract bigger crowds than any other, his ticket prices way higher than the rest, and he has a permanent cohort of dedicated fans. He has unfathomable control of the cue-ball, as if tied to a string, and with break building as prolific and swift as his, it is no surprise that Ronnie has gained the popularity of the masses.

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But with great fame, alas, comes great responsibility, and O’Sullivan’s fractious personal life has caused him all manner of well-documented difficulties. His father was jailed for 18 years when he was just a teenager. His frequent absences from the sport even resulted in a job working on a pig farm in 2013. He’s been called an extreme perfectionist and, while that’s no bad thing, it’s hindered his ability to enjoy the game. Even in victory, there have been a near uncountable number of occasions where he has signalled his intention to quit the sport. With depression and drug related problems abound, it is fair to say it hasn’t been easy for Ronnie to live as both the the world’s best player, and as his own worst enemy.

Thankfully, it appears as though the worst is behind him. He has worked closely with sports psychologist Steve Peters, and a stable life seems finally to have reached him. He is currently starring in the TV series ‘American Hustle’, which sees him tour some of the USA’s famous pool halls in the hope of shedding more light on the nature of the ‘other’ cue sport in the States. Not only this, but just over a year ago he published his very own crime novel. These sort of ventures are not what we’d had expected from the shy, reclusive character of the past.

And it’s a good thing too, because there can be no doubt that, in this age, snooker without Ronnie is like chips without ketchup: it’s good, but you know it could be better. His 10-7 victory over Joe Perry last Sunday, while far from routine, did go to show the scale of the gulf between the ‘rocket’ on form, and the rest of the competition. Reeling off seven frames in a row with consummate ease, it would be a brave man to bet against him passing Hendry’s record of 18 ‘Triple Crown’ of World Championship, Championship and Masters titles.

So while you might think Ronnie can win without leaving first gear, in reality the truth is not so serene. He has had to battle difficulties between the years, rather than on the baize, and – for me – no one has ever been more deserving of his enduring legendary status.