Ronnie O’Sullivan has warned his opponents that the changes he is making in his game are making him a better player than he has ever been before.

O’Sullivan and his coach Steve Feeney are engaging with SightRight, hoping to improve his targeting of object balls and the five-time world champion is seeing the benefits.

He celebrated his 43rd birthday on Wednesday by demolishing Jack Lisowski 6-1 to seal a last-eight place at the UK Championship in York and has been beaten only twice this season so far.

For O’Sullivan, the new process is paying rich dividends and he says even during a record-breaking run of tournament success last season, things were never this good.

“I believe in the changes I am making, but there is a difference between practice form and taking it out to the match table,” he said.

“Although I won five titles last season I was pretty poor, I only played one good tournament at the English Open. At the World Championship I felt I couldn’t pot a ball from more than two feet. So I knew I needed to reinvent myself and find a game to allow me to compete.”

His displays this season have yielded wins in Shanghai and at the Tournament of Champions and O’Sullivan is on course to defend his UK Championship crown.

He is chasing a seventh UK win in York this week and the Rocket says his hunger for success has never been greater.

“The changes I am making are giving me more power, more accuracy and opening up a range of shots I haven’t been able to play,” he added.

“I’ve always got my eyes on the biggest prizes which is why I’m always looking to improve. I’ve always been as dedicated as a pro as anyone in their chosen sport. People just say I’m talented but they should come and watch me practice and see what I go through.”

O’Sullivan is favourite at 2.30 to land another UK crown in York on Sunday.