Snooker: O'Sullivan aiming to be The Crucible's George Best

(GETTY IMAGES)

Ronnie O'Sullivan wants to be remembered as a showman more than as a prolific winner of trophies. The 33-year-old began his World Championship campaign with a 10-5 victory over Stuart Bingham at the weekend.

He is seeking to defend the trophy and win the world title for a fourth time. But O'Sullivan puts entertainment first and cites the late George Best as an inspiration.

"It's great in my career to have been popular as well as having had a few wins," he said. "Would you rather have Bobby Moore's record or Georgie Best's? I'd rather have been Georgie Best to be honest with you, because he was just amazing to watch, and people remember that. I think that's why Jimmy White was so popular, because of the way he did things."

O'Sullivan thrilled the Crucible crowd with his seemingly effortless break-building, even though he only gave his performance five out of 10. He intends to carry entertaining audiences. "I think a lot of it has to do with the way I play," he said. "I've always played an attacking game. I've always tried to score big breaks. I've never been one to try to slow games down. I've always gone out and played the game the way I've played it since I was a kid. I always try to score and be an aggressive player. I think that's why people love Jimmy [White] so much and why they like Alex Higgins.

"It's because of the way we play, not necessarily what we win, because obviously there have been more successful snooker players than me and Jimmy White."