Ronnie O’Sullivan has revealed that he will be moving to the Middle East this year, embarking on a ‘new life’ away from the UK.
The 49-year-old was beaten 17-7 in the World Championship semi-final by Zhao Xintong on Friday, bringing to a close a difficult season for the Rocket.
O’Sullivan had a solid start to the campaign on the table, but hit a sticky patch before Christmas and then took a break from the game after snapping his cue at the Championship League in January.
There was doubt whether he would return to play at the World Championship as he had not competed since that cue-snapping frustration in Leicester, but he did choose to have a crack at the Crucible.
This season has also seen plenty going on away from snooker for the seven-time world champion, with long-term partner Laila Rouass seemingly confirming a split in December and their Essex home listed for sale shortly after.
It appears that O’Sullivan is facing something of a crossroads in life and with his game, and the path he is choosing is to move away from the UK.
Asked where he will go in snooker terms after his Crucible exit, O’Sullivan said: ‘I don’t really know, to be honest with you. I don’t know. There’s going to be a few changes in my life so I’ll see how that goes. I don’t know.’
He explained: ‘I think I’m going to be moving out of the UK this year, so I don’t know how that’s going to pan out to be honest with you.
‘A new life, somewhere else. Still try and play snooker, but I don’t know what the future looks like for me.’
On whether retirement is a possibility, he said: ‘I’m not saying anything, I’ve said it so many times so I’m not saying anything.
‘I’m moving away soon so I’ll just see how it goes. There’s a lot more important things in life to worry about than a game of snooker.
‘For me, it’s a big part of my life but I’ve got to figure out what my future looks like whether it’s playing or not.’
On what his specific plans are, he said: ‘I’ll be moving away to the Middle East. We’ll see how it goes. I might be back in six months, who knows?’
The Rocket was good enough to reach the semi-finals in Sheffield, but he was a long way from his immense best and is finding it very difficult to enjoy the game without anything like his strongest form.
He spoke ahead of the World Championship of definitely playing for two more years to give himself a chance of rediscovering some form, but put that in doubt after defeat.
‘I want to give it two years but if you play like that, it’s pretty pointless. It’s not good,’ he said.
‘I have been like that for four years, trying to grind it out. I haven’t had a clue where the cue ball was going. I have been willing it in the hole.
‘I don’t know how to correct the fault. That is the worrying thing. I am so far away – I don’t even know where to begin.’