It remains to be seen whether Ronnie O’Sullivan will compete at the World Championship (Image: Getty)
Snooker fans have been told not to rule out a momentous comeback at the The seven-time world champion has barely played in 2025 after pulling out of a string of tournaments for medical reasons. He briefly returned in January at the Championship League, only to smash his cue up in frustration and withdraw before his final group match.
That led to him pulling out of the Masters, where he had been due to defend the title. He has also missed the Welsh Open, German Masters, World Open and World Grand Prix while he hasn’t qualified for the upcoming Players Championship and Tour Championship. Therefore, O’Sullivan’s next scheduled tournament appearance isn’t until the World Championship, which begins on April 19. Whether the world No.4 takes part in the Crucible showpiece remains to be seen.
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Former world champion Dennis Taylor admits it is anyone’s guess whether O’Sullivan will be in Sheffield. However, the 1985 Crucible king has floated a possible repeat of 2013, when the Rocket missed most of that season but still showed up to win his fifth world title. An eighth world crown would take past Stephen Hendry and set a new modern-era record.
“Who knows with Ronnie. Only Ronnie knows what has gone off the table,” Taylor told
“I thought to not defend the Masters, there must be something wrong. He has been struggling and I think people are just guessing what it is.
“We know Ronnie does have a few problems. Unless his way of thinking is, the last time he took a year out, he won the World Championship, so don’t count that out.
Sullivan won the 2013 world title despite taking most of that season off (Image: Getty)
“I know he says he is not interested in beating Stephen Hendry’s seven world titles, but I think he wants to before he retires.”
O’Sullivan is due to make a Saudi Arabia, where he has a academy in his name. The Rocket will hold a public practice session with academy coach Nigel Bond and a question-and-answer session.
“Delighted to announce that I’ll be heading to Riyadh,” he said on social media. “So for exclusive coaching from the brilliant Nigel Bond, a Q&A with me as well as watching me practice please come down. I’d love to see you all there!!”