Stephen Hendry has been left bemused by comments made by snooker stars about Ronnie O'Sullivan before they play him at the Crucible.
The Rocket is attempting to win a record-breaking eighth World Snooker Championship and Hendry wants to see a different approach from his opponents when speaking to the press.
O'Sullivan has eased through to a 22nd quarter-final this week having beaten Jackson Page and Ryan Day in the first two rounds.
He dispatched Page 10-1 last week before completing a 13-7 victory over Day on Monday afternoon in Sheffield.
World Snooker Championship: Stephen Hendry has told players to stop bigging up Ronnie O'Sullivan
Getty/BBC
During the latter stages of his victory over Day, Hendry gave a scathing verdict of O'Sullivan's rivals.
O'Sullivan often receives huge praise from fellow players and it has been no different at Sheffield in the last week.
The Scot, who shares the record for the most World Championship wins, has questioned why players are so keen to praise his old adversary when speaking to the media.
Hendry says they should instead focus on their own game and show belief that they can beat the 48-year-old.
He told the BBC: "[O'Sullivan] always beats the players he's supposed to beat when he's supposed to beat them.
"If he's supposed to beat someone easy, he will beat them easy. It's just in his makeup, he wins like no other person has won.
"But because of his success and because of his stature in the game now, a lot of players look up to him so much.
"You see the interviews before and it's 'Ronnie this, Ronnie that'.
"I'd like to see a bit less of that, I'd like it to be 'Talk about me more and let's big up me to give me a chance of winning'.
"Rather than saying what a hero Ronnie is. He is a hero but if you're going to play him, don't build it up like that.
"'I'm just going to try and enjoy it' - what's that about? 'I'm just going to try and enjoy it'. Enjoy what?
"You're at the World Championship. You're there to try and win, not enjoy it."
O'Sullivan is happier with his game than he has been all season as he attempts to triumph at the Crucible again.
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World Snooker Championship: Stephen Hendry has told players to focus on their own game
BBC
He has been working with a new coach recently as he looks to take a new approach to playing.
Hendry says enjoyment is key to O'Sullivan's success, despite saying that shouldn't be the case for his rivals.
The pundit added: "I think he seems enthusiastic about the game. He's obviously working with a new coach, he's working on new things.
"I can't spot a lot different with what he's doing but obviously he's working on something and that can itself give you enthusiasm to want to play, if you're working on new things and you see the fruits of what you're working on are coming to fruition.
World Snooker Championship: Ronnie O'Sullivan is used to receiving praise from his rivals
Getty
"Maybe that's given him a buzz a bit. At the end of the day it's about enjoying it I suppose.
"But sometimes you don't enjoy it here though, do you? Sometimes you just play the matches and it's not fun."
