Ronnie O’Sullivan has pulled out of the Scottish Open the day before his opening match (Image: Getty)
Ronnie O’Sullivan has withdrawn from the Scottish Open on the eve of his slated opening match against Xing Zihao.
The Rocket’s decision came as a stinging blow to fans attending the Edinburgh event, who were informed over the weekend that world No. 1 Judd Trump and three-time world champion Mark Williams would also be absent.
Xing will receive a bye to the second round, as will Ishpreet Singh Chadha and David Lilley, who were due to face Trump and Williams respectively.
O’Sullivan is yet to explain his call to skip the Scottish Open, though it will give him more time to recover before the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship, which begins on December 18. The 48-year-old has previously been clear about the favourable treatment he and his fellow pros get in the Middle East and China compared to UK-based tournaments.
“Saudi Arabia has really raised the bar,” said O’Sullivan during the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters in September. “This is the best event on the tour
“I’ve never seen so many happy snooker players, everyone is excited to be here, we want to compete, play well and put on a really good show for the Saudi Arabian fans.
“All the top players are about to enter the event and hopefully everyone’s going to watch some of the best snooker they could possibly see. The tables, the facilities, the venue that’s been put together; this tournament deserves to watch the best snooker ever seen. It really is that good.”
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