Neil Robertson of Australia reacts during a match (Image: Getty Images)
Snooker champion Neil Robertson has urged Ronnie O’Sullivan to take a break from the sport until his passion for snooker reignites. The Rocket surprised fans by withdrawing from the Masters just 48 hours before his scheduled match against John Higgins, citing ‘health issues’.
O’Sullivan had appeared increasingly exasperated in the run-up to the tournament, and his exit opened the door for Robertson to stage a remarkable comeback from 5-1 down to triumph over Higgins.
In a post-match interview with SportsBoom, Robertson expressed concern for O’Sullivan, saying: “I hope he is all right. From what I gather, I think he’d been talking to a couple of players, I think he was saying he wasn’t sure if he was going to play and some of the guys in the championship league were talking to him there.
“Maybe they know more than I do. He is under so much pressure and people always expect so much of him. I feel as though that the whole game really, he feels the weight of that on his shoulders sometimes, and he’s delivered for so many decades for us as players and fans, me speaking as a fan, what more can he give the game?”
Robertson has suggested that taking a break could be beneficial for players feeling the strain, saying: “I think it’s important that if he wants to have just a little bit of time off and just rediscover the love for the game and don’t force himself to enter everything, just take his time, maybe don’t enter some events so it doesn’t look like last minute withdrawals. Just say, I’m going to take the next couple of months off.”
Meanwhile, after securing a spot in the quarter-finals, Robertson expressed his relaxed approach, having not expected to participate: “The Masters is the first event after the new year, so over Christmas you’re thinking about it. Am I practising enough over the Christmas period? Am I prepared enough? And the anticipation and waiting for it can kind of really build you up.
“So, the fact that I wasn’t really expecting to play I think was actually really nice. I was still practising just in case. You just never know. But yeah, to get the call on Friday, I was buzzing. I felt as I had nothing to lose.”
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