Everything we know about Ronnie O'Sullivan's health as snooker hiatus continues
The seven-time world champion has not played since January.
He’s widely regarded as the greatest snooker player to have graced the game, but fans are beginning to fear that Ronnie O’Sullivan's career is almost over. The 49-year-old has not played since the Championship League in January, a tournament he left prematurely after smashing up his cue during a defeat to Robert Milkins.
He then opted to withdraw from the Masters, and left fans enraged when he pulled out of the Welsh Open at the 11th hour. The seven-time world champion continued his exile through the German Masters, World Open and World Grand Prix and has failed to qualify for the upcoming Players Championship and Tour Championship. He’s not scheduled to play again until the Snooker World Championship gets underway at the Crucible in 2025, with his participation in the sport’s marquee event also in serious doubt. As concern grows, Express Sport looks at what we know about his situation…
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Why has Ronnie O’Sullivan been withdrawing from tournaments?
Initially, O’Sullivan was candid about his reasoning for not playing the 2025 Masters. He even worked on the tournament as a pundit for the BBC, explaining that a three-week trip to play events in the Far East and Saudi Arabia had left him “exhausted.”
He attributed the fatigue to his erratic behaviour in his Championship League debacle and was still expected to play in Wales. However, although he apologised to supporters in Llandudno, some of whom travelled for hours to watch the star, he only revealed that he would not be playing on “medical grounds.”
That has continued to be the official reason for the continued withdrawals. Since his apology, O’Sullivan himself has not spoken publicly on his hiatus.
What we know about previous health problems
It is well documented that early in his career, O’Sullivan was treated for drug-related issues and bouts of depression. In 2011, he began working with psychiatrist and sports psychologist Steve Peters, and has attributed that relationship to ensuring his mental well-being on the tour.
The former world No.1 also used to be renowned for constantly threatening to retire and took an extended break from the game in the 2012/13 season. The 2023 documentary Ronnie O'Sullivan: The Edge of Everything underlined how nerves and anxiety still affected him, most notably in his World Championship final win over Judd Trump the previous year.
Will he play at the Crucible?
If anyone can rock up in the sport’s biggest tournament and put on a show after months of inactivity, it’s Ronnie O’Sullivan. However, few can deny that an appearance is now in serious doubt.
At 49, such a lack of preparation will leave the icon needing to produce a miraculous effort to win an unprecedented eighth crown. But it is unclear whether O'Sullivan will indeed feel rested enough to play at all, and if he doesn't, many will feel a retirement announcement is coming.
