New snooker stars have been naming Ronnie O’Sullivan and John Higgins as their heroes for so long that a younger name catches you off guard, and Oliver Sykes has a role model from a different generation.
The 20-year-old is in his first season on the professional tour and has picked up some encouraging victories already, including beating Alexander Ursenbacher and Zak Surety to qualify for this week’s Northern Ireland Open.
It will be his first taste of a main venue this season, having been slogging it out in qualifiers at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester so far.
His clash with Dave Gilbert on Monday will be a special moment, with the Waterfront Hall in Belfast an ideal place to step onto the big stage.
Sykes’ favourite player as he was growing up in Hampshire – and still now he is mixing it with the world’s best – is the defending champion in Belfast.
‘I’d have to say Jack Lisowski,’ Sykes told Metro of his snooker hero. ‘I like the way that he plays, the way floats around the table, his fluent delivery. He’s just so smooth with it all.
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‘Hopefully he’ll play some good stuff in Belfast because he’ll be, he’ll be one of the favourites as the reigning champion.’
Lisowski is 35 now, so it is no real surprise that someone 15 years his junior would look up to him, but it is rare that one of the real legends of the game does not get the nod when this question is asked.
Sykes is very early in his professional career and is getting used to the conditions and level of competition at the elite level.
‘It’s definitely been a challenge, it’s quite different to the amateur scene,’ he said. ‘The conditions are different. I’m getting used to the tables and the speed and the tighter pockets. It has been quite challenging to adjust to all that, but I think I’m slowly getting used to it now.
‘I’m in my first year and I don’t want to put myself under too much stress. But obviously over the two years, you do want to stay on tour and stay in the top 64.
‘Obviously I’m really happy to qualify for Belfast and playing Gilbert on Monday, I’m really looking forward to it.’
There has been plenty of chat this season from older players about how much time they are spending in Leicester qualifiers, with the tiered draws seeing fewer players at the main venues.
Sykes is too new on the scene to be worried too much about that, enjoying his time on tour so far, although the drives to Leicester from his home near the south coast are long.
‘The drives to Leicester, they’re not exciting!’ Sykes said. ‘It will definitely be nice to play somewhere else and obviously the Waterfront, I’ve heard, is one of the best venues on tour. So I’m dying to get out there.
‘I am really enjoying it on the tour at the moment. It’s not too bad with how they’ve structured the tournaments. Obviously the first rounds in the qualifiers are a little bit easier because I’m playing someone at a similar level.
‘But for myself, especially with the China qualifiers, I wouldn’t even mind drawing like a big name and playing them out there in China instead of grueling it out in Leicester. China is definitely the place I want to go to.’
Part of the fun on tour for the youngster has been travelling the country to practice with more experienced players, with none more experienced than 64-year-old Jimmy White.
‘My manager, Zoe, has really helped me out with contacting people,’ he said. ‘I’m down south and haven’t really got anyone around to play, so I’m traveling quite a bit, which is making me a better player.
‘I’ve been over to Louis Heathcote in Leicester, Kyren Wilson, Jimmy White at his club in Woking, I’ve popped over to the academies in Sheffield, which are full ofgood Chinese lads. I’m just mixing about with the best and learning all the time.’
On his time with the Whirlwind, who has a grandson the same age as Oliver, Sykes said: ‘Ah, Jimmy’s great. He’s doing so well still, he’s still playing some unbelievable stuff. I don’t know how he does it!
‘I honestly think I would really enjoy still playing at that age. I’ll just carry on playing until I can’t play anymore.
‘We have some good chats. Along the line, hopefully, I think he wants to support me a bit more, but just having the match practice with him is great.’
Sykes will hope the Whirlwind’s words of wisdom will help when he take on Gilbert on Monday afternoon, but whatever happens he intends to take the positives.
‘You either win or you learn. That’s I’m going to try and keep that in my head for the time being,’ he said.
‘It didn’t really matter who I was playing in Belfast. The fact of being at a main event and playing a top player. I think I’m just going to enjoy the time out there and hopefully produce some good stuff.’