Ronnie O'Sullivan has heaped praise on Kyren Wilson, drawing parallels between him and two of snooker's greatest champions on a night that saw him reach a remarkable feat at the table.
The seven-time world champion likened The Warrior to Stephen Hendry and John Higgins at their peak following Wilson's quarter-final victory over him in Shanghai.
"To see him play the way he's playing, he is the motivation for a lot of players at the moment to try and get to that level," O'Sullivan stated during the Saudi Arabia Masters.
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"He's so strong, so so strong. It was a bit like playing Hendry in his prime, a bit like playing John Higgins in his prime."
Kyren Wilson went on to win the Shanghai Masters at the start of the month
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The Rocket highlighted Wilson's comprehensive skillset, praising his tactical acumen, mental fortitude and scoring ability.
O'Sullivan had previously identified three players who currently stand apart from their rivals.
The 49-year-old declared that Wilson, Judd Trump and world champion Zhao Xintong have separated themselves from the pack.
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Zhao Xintong beat Mark Williams to lift the World Championship title earlier in the year
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"Kyren Wilson is strongest at the moment, closely followed by Judd Trump and Zhao Xintong is the world champion," O'Sullivan explained. "Those three are a level above everyone at the moment."
The veteran acknowledged that while several accomplished players remain competitive, this trio has established clear superiority.
He noted that approximately seven or eight experienced competitors could still claim victory in Jeddah, but maintained his assessment of the leading threesome's dominance.
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The comments come as O'Sullivan delivered a masterclass performance on Tuesday evening, dismantling Joe O'Connor with a comprehensive 5-0 victory to secure his place in the last 16 of the Saudi Arabia Masters.
The Rocket required just 65 minutes to complete the whitewash, with his opponent struggling throughout the encounter.
The seven-time world champion also achieved another milestone: an astonishing 1290th career century.
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O'Sullivan's new cue proved devastatingly effective as he dominated proceedings from start to finish.
Trump, the defending champion, had his campaign ended abruptly, however, when Oliver Lines secured a 5-3 victory over the world No1 in Tuesday's fifth round action.
Lines withstood a late rally from the former world champion to claim his spot in the last 16.
Wilson faced his own difficulties against Ukraine's Iulian Boiko before recovering to triumph 5-4.
The narrow escape keeps alive his pursuit of the £500,000 winner's prize, which would boost his seasonal earnings to £710,000.
The tournament offers a £2 million total prize fund, matching only the World Championship in terms of the victor's reward.
An additional £50,000 awaits any player who achieves a maximum break in Jeddah.