Ronnie O’Sullivan reveals near withdrawal from World Snooker Championship
Ronnie O’Sullivan has revealed he came close to withdrawing from the World Snooker Championship because he was “scared” and feared he would “embarrass” himself on the sport’s biggest stage, reports BritPanorama.
The 50-year-old snooker legend, who has lifted the world title seven times, admitted he was seriously contemplating missing the Crucible event just ten days ago. January and February proved particularly difficult, with the world number 10 struggling to find his form on the match table.
However, his remarkable world-record 153 break during the World Open in Yushan has transformed his mindset. The extraordinary clearance, which featured a free-ball and an additional black, came during his quarter-final victory against Ryan Day last Friday.
That performance has convinced O’Sullivan to compete at Sheffield when the championship begins on April 18. His journey to the World Open final, despite losing 10-7 to Thailand’s Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, has notably lifted his spirits and restored belief in his ability to compete at the highest level.
O’Sullivan explained his recent mindset in stark terms: “I wasn’t even going to play in the World Championship 10 days ago because I was too scared. I felt I was going to embarrass myself.” The seven-time champion added: “But now I feel like I probably will go because I feel like I can at least pot a few balls.”
Despite expressing dissatisfaction with his cueing during the opening months of 2025, he has opted against entering the Tour Championship, which begins next Monday in Manchester. This means his next competitive outing, and first UK match since 2 December, will be at the World Championship, running for 17 days from 18 April.
Reflecting on his current abilities, O’Sullivan stated he can only execute around 60-70% of shots comfortably, with certain angles simply beyond his reach at present. “I just can’t get to the potting angle of certain shots,” he said. “When someone plays like that and I’m just one-dimensional basically, it just limits what I can do.”
O’Sullivan praised Un-Nooh following his defeat: “Thepchaiya was unbelievable, he deserved his victory. He was just flowing and had every shot in the book.” Despite his limitations, O’Sullivan believes he is in a stronger position than at any point during the past three years, though he remains cautious about getting too optimistic.
As the days count down to the championship, the uncertainty surrounding a player of O’Sullivan’s stature inevitably fuels intrigue. His candid admission on the brink of a return to form illustrates how even the most celebrated athletes grapple with self-doubt. This year’s Crucible promises to be more than a contest of skill; it will be a testament to the resilience of one of snooker’s greats, facing his own inner turmoil as much as his opponents.
