Ronnie O’Sullivan has warned he may stop taking part in tournaments in Britain after his quest for a record-breaking eighth world snooker title was shattered by Stuart Bingham in a serious quarter-final upset on the Crucible.
O’Sullivan will jet off for an exhibition tour of China, Finland and Bulgaria subsequent week, insisting he’ll choose and select his future tournaments, and more and more prioritise big-money provides from Saudi Arabia and the Far East.
The 48-year-old just lately signed a cope with the Saudis which satirically commits him to signing a brand new contract with World Snooker Tour, with a purpose to fulfil his obligation to play within the inaugural Saudi Masters in Riyadh on the finish of August.
And with 4 different tournaments scheduled for China earlier than the top of the 12 months, O’Sullivan expects to choose up sufficient prizes and rating factors to allow him to maintain his appearances on the much less interesting UK occasions to a minimal.
O’Sullivan mentioned: “I’m contracted to do sure occasions in China, and I’m contracted to go to Saudi, so clearly they’ve obtained first dibs then it’s about spending time at residence with the household.
“It’s first come, first served. I’m already signed up for eight or 9 tournaments, so if I do actually badly in them I may need to dip my toe in and play a number of tournaments over right here, however most likely not.
“I don’t simply flip up willy-nilly to occasions, there’s a tax to be paid. If persons are ready to pay it, I’ll get my cue out of my case. In the event that they’re not, I’m content material to by no means ever play once more, and transfer on and do different stuff.”
O’Sullivan missed a complete of 10 tour occasions final season, withdrawing from the bulk on medical grounds. Beneath the phrases of the amended WST contracts, he can not play exhibitions or different unsanctioned occasions in the event that they instantly conflict with WST tournaments.
Other than the low-key Championship League, the primary UK rating occasions subsequent season are the back-to-back English and British Opens in Brentwood and Cheltenham respectively in September, adopted by the Northern Irish Open in Belfast the next month.
I do not simply flip up willy-nilly to occasions, there is a tax to be paid. If persons are ready to pay it, I will get my cue out of my case. If they are not, I am content material to by no means ever play once more, and transfer on and do different stuff
Ronnie O’Sullivan
While O’Sullivan’s declare that he solely performed within the World Championship on the behest of a brand new sponsor needs to be taken with a pinch of salt, it inevitably raises questions over his need to go one higher than Stephen Hendry by way of modern-era Crucible titles.
O’Sullivan shrugged off his loss to Bingham, denying options he had grow to be more and more agitated through the match, and refusing to remark additional on his declare in a Eurosport interview in between periods that referees had been “out to get me”.
The profitable alternatives elsewhere seem to have given his profession a brand new lease of life, as he shrugged off defeat to Bingham – and the lack of his primary rating – insisting: “I like getting my cue out and I just like the sound of the balls.”
O’Sullivan added: “You solely get one life and I wish to fulfil the whole lot to the utmost, however I’m additionally conscious of my worth and my time, and what I deliver to the game.
“So long as these wants are met, I’ll preserve taking part in. In the event that they’re not, I’ll be hanging up the waistcoat and hanging up the cue. In the meanwhile there’s sufficient issues occurring to maintain me within the recreation.
