Ronnie O’Sullivan has branded Stephen Maguire “one of the best players that has ever played the game” and cannot understand why he has not won a title in three years.

Maguire last tasted success when he beat Mark Allen 10-6 in the final of the Tour Championship in 2020.

The world No. 32 beat English trio James Cahill, Sam Craigie and Joe Perry on his run to the Northern Ireland Open quarter-finals in Belfast, where he locks horns with Judd Trump who has won 17 games in a row.

Speaking ahead of the Scot’s huge encounter against Trump, O’Sullivan made a bold claim when asked why Maguire had not won a title for so long.

“I don’t know, I don’t know,” he told Eurosport. “I think he’s one of the best players that has ever played the game, so it’s a mystery to me.

“I just think sometimes, this game, if you’ve got a really, really good temperament you can sort of put stuff behind you. I think Steve maybe gets a bit hard on himself and maybe you don’t fulfil your potential, if you like.

“But his game is as good as anybody. When he’s playing well, he can beat anybody in the world.”

O’Sullivan, 47, who did not participate in the Northern Ireland Open due to “medical reasons”, has teased that a return to action is imminent.

In his last match, he was beaten by then-41st-ranked Lyu Haotian in the quarter-finals of the Wuhan Open, but prior to that tournament had suffered pain in his elbow.

O’Sullivan has admitted his arm is “alright” now and hinted at when he could next feature.

“Hopefully in the next tournament in China,” he revealed.

The next competition set to take place in China is the International Championship, which begins on Sunday, November 5.