Ronnie O’Sullivan pulls out of ANOTHER big snooker event with a mystery ‘medical issue’, weeks after he hinted he could quit the sport at 48
- The snooker icon has withdrawn from the Northern Ireland Open in Belfast
- Ronnie O’Sullivan will miss a major tournament for the third time in a row this year
- The 48-year-old world legend has previously threatened to quit the sport
Ronnie O’Sullivan has withdrawn from the Northern Ireland Open on the opening day of competition, citing unknown medical reasons for his absence.
The legendary snooker star is flirting with the idea of leaving the sport for good and will now miss a third straight match after previously missing the British and Wuhan Opens.
O’Sullivan, 48, has not taken part in a competitive match since crashing out of the first round of the British Open on September 17 and will now be out of action in Northern Ireland.
The seven-time world champion has withdrawn from the upcoming tournament announced by the World Snooker Tour (WST) due to medical reasons, with his first round opponent given a free pass to the next stage.
O’Sullivan was due to play China’s Long Zehuang in a last 64 match at Waterfront Hall, with the hopefuls now progressing to the final knockout stages without playing.
Ronnie O’Sullivan has withdrawn from the Northern Ireland Open on the opening day of competition
The legendary snooker star has recently been flirting with the idea of leaving the sport for good
The exact reason behind O’Sullivan’s medical withdrawal is yet to be revealed as the snooker icon continues to stay away from the sport in which he has won seven world titles.
O’Sullivan is expected to perform at the International Champions event in China from November 3, but it remains to be seen whether he will return for the event.
The Englishman’s longevity has been remarkable, with The Rocket’s first ranking trophy coming in 1993, when he was just 17, and his last being a World Grand Prix victory in January. In May he was still the number one player in the world.
O’Sullivan is expected to perform at the International Champions event in China from November 3
O’Sullivan is as infamous for his outspoken character as he is for his explosive playing style. He has previously branded snooker a ‘bad sport’ and compared the way businessman Barry Hearn ran the game to a ‘dictatorship’.
Just last month he suggested that retirement could not be far away if snooker bosses decide to introduce personalized walk-ons for players approaching the gaming table.
“I’d probably retire for sure if I had to do something like that,” O’Sullivan previously claimed.
“I’d say, ‘You know what I got out of here now?'”