Ronnie O’Sullivan, widely acknowledged as one of the most naturally gifted snooker players, continues to ponder retirement, despite the chance to win an unprecedented eighth world title.
Every year, it’s the same story—O’Sullivan talks about quitting snooker. But officials can’t ignore it, knowing he’s still the sport’s biggest draw.
Despite winning the UK Championships and the Masters, the Rocket isn’t happy with his performance this season.
As he prepares to try for an eighth world title, O’Sullivan revealed he’ll take a year to decide if he wants to keep playing.
“I need to get myself mentally ready,” O’Sullivan told Eurosport before facing Wales’ Jackson Page in the first round.
“I’m giving myself until next year’s World Championship to work with Steve Peters (a psychologist) and get back to playing well.”
He said, “If I keep playing badly, I might retire. I’ve been thinking about it for a while. It’s making me wonder, ‘Do I still want to do this?'”
O’Sullivan caused a stir by suggesting the World Championships move from Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre to bigger venues in China and Saudi Arabia.
At this year’s Masters, he challenged younger players to step up, saying, “I’m getting older, but they still can’t beat me.”
Despite recent losses, O’Sullivan is still a top player.
Snooker is changing, with players from Belgium and China joining the mix, but O’Sullivan remains the sport’s biggest name, much like Joe Davis was in his time.
