Gary Wilson believes he won't fall apart just because he is playing Ronnie O’Sullivan Ronnie O’Sullivan at the Tour Championship on Friday, but does admit he is struggling with his cue action, which hinders his confidence.
Wilson is participating in the prestigious event for the first time and has defeated Mark Selby and Zhang Anda to reach the final four, where the Rocket awaits.
O’Sullivan has had to play just one match to reach this stage and he made very light work of it, hammering Ali Carter 10-2.
The world number one is heavy favourite to beat the Tyneside Terror and reach the final but Wilson says he will not be overawed by his legendary opponent.
He does not see O’Sullivan as the biggest problem going into the game, more that he is still struggling to find his best technique despite the wins over Selby and Zhang.
‘I’m not someone who crumbles because of who I am playing,’ said the 38-year-old. ‘For me, it’s all about how I am feeling and playing.
‘If my action is gone then my confidence is on the floor and I can’t find any way of hitting it. If that happens then it doesn’t matter who I’m playing. I am trying to iron that out, it’s not really working. But I am in the semis so let’s see what happens.’
Wilson has been very critical of himself over his first two games, struggling to find his best form and relying on his battling abilities, which he has shown in abundance.
‘I showed determination and tried my best, those are the only positives I can take,’ he said after the 10-8 win over Zhang in the quarter-finals.
‘Even in the tournaments I won this season, there were periods where my game was not good. I guess that helps me because I always make sure I show that determination. If you keep trying then you might get through a few matches, and then somehow miraculously you find something in your game.
‘If you let your guard down and play at 99% instead of 100% and make a mistake on one shot, that can cost you a match. This is a game of very small margins. But I know I have to improve because those kind of performances are not good enough.’
Wilson has a win over O’Sullivan, beating him on his way to winning the 2022 Scottish Open, but the Rocket has the better of their head-to-head record, winning their other four meetings.
The pair play over a best-of-19 on Friday, with the two sessions live on ITV4 at 1pm and 7pm.
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