Ronnie O’Sullivan has pulled out of the Welsh Open just a few hours before he was scheduled to make his comeback to snooker.
The World Snooker Tour issued a statement on Tuesday confirming O’Sullivan’s decision. It read: “Ronnie O’Sullivan has pulled out of the BetVictor Welsh Open.
“O’Sullivan was due to face Jamie Clarke at 1pm on Tuesday afternoon. Clarke will now receive a bye to the last 32. The tournament in Llandudno runs until Sunday February 16th.”
O’Sullivan has not played since the Championship League on 9 January. The Rocket has been absent since he snapped his cue and struck the table during his disappointing exit from that competition.
He also dramatically withdrew from the Masters just over a day before his scheduled clash with long-time rival John Higgins. The 49-year-old has won seven world championships, most recently in 2022, though his last major came in the Masters last January.
Speaking after withdrawing from his clash with Higgins, O’Sullivan said: “Yeah, it was a nightmare decision to make,. You know, if you’d have asked me Sunday if was I ready to play, I probably would have been okay to play, but it’s such a massive tournament.
“I’ve obviously been on this three-week trip away playing, and I just think I exhausted myself. [There was] a lot of pressure while I was away, and I just think the build-up of all that kind of just got a bit too much, really. The right decision was not to play. It’s such a big tournament I felt whoever was going to come in should at least have a couple of days’ notice.”
O’Sullivan has not yet publicly commented on his decision to withdraw from this week’s Welsh Open, a tournament he last won in 2014. The Rocket has previously demanded snooker bosses appoint a doctor to look after the mental welfare of the sport’s stars.
“I think World Snooker should have somebody. In football, they have masseuses, people sorting out injuries. I think snooker should have someone at the tournament employed as like if someone is struggling, they’ve come off the table, ‘do you need 10 minutes with someone?’” O’Sullivan said when he withdrew from the Masters.
“I’m not saying everyone will go in there but I just think a lot of players suffer in silence basically. I can tell, just look at them and they’re struggling. They should have someone to go and talk to. I think that’s so important. You have coaches sorting your correction out but really you need someone just to unload a bit. I think it would really help the players.
“I know Shaun Murphy is part of the panel but they could find the money to employ someone full-time to be there for the players. It really is tough mentally.
“He’s [Mark Selby] struggled mentally and I struggle mentally and John Higgins struggles mentally. The other 124 are a million percent struggling mentally but you’re not allowed: ‘oh, what’s the matter? You’re a snooker player, you’re getting paid this and that’. Well, it’s not about the money. It’s just pride of performance.
“You want to put a show on for the crowd, you want to put a show on for yourself, you want to play well and when you don’t it can really drive you crazy. Sometimes, a little five, 10 minutes: ‘I’m alright now, I can sleep now and look forward to tomorrow’. Instead of going back and beating yourself up.”
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