LONDON: Snooker star Ronnie O’Sullivan said he is looking forward to the new World Masters of Snooker event in Riyadh next month but admitted that at this stage of his career, he prefers to only play in events where he feels valued and appreciated.
The Englishman has had a somewhat nonchalant approach to the sport in recent years. During this week’s Players Championship in Telford, he told sports news website SportsBoom.com he does not “really care about my performances anymore” and his main focus is now on interests away from the green baize.
“I just want to take what I can from the tour, keep on doing my other bits that I enjoy,” he said. “Playing in these tournaments are just a bonus for me. I can have a bit of a laugh, bit of fun, and the practice keeps me match sharp.
“My main hobbies are away from the table now. I don’t have a plan for the season; if I win, great, but that’s it for me really.”
However, speaking ahead of his quarter-final match against Mark Selby in Telford on Thursday, the seven-time world champion reassured fans in the Kingdom: “When I’m out in Saudi (Arabia), I’ll be giving it 300 percent.”
Asked how he decides which tournaments to play in these days, having withdrawn from this month’s Welsh Open, he said he goes on gut instinct and how he feels in the days leading up to a competition.
“I don’t ever have a plan, to be honest with you,” O’Sullivan said. “Some people think I must have some master plan going on but I don’t. I just make it up as I go along, so there’s no rhyme or reason for it. I just go by how I feel.”
The 48-year-old refused to be drawn on preferred opponents in upcoming matches or his opinions about rivals on the tour, saying: “I don’t talk about other players anymore, so I just don’t want to get involved in it to be honest with you.”
The Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker will begin on March 4 and conclude on March 6. It will feature the top eight players in the world, based on the official rankings after the Players Championship this week, plus two wild cards.
