RONNIE O’SULLIVAN turns 50 in December – but will he still be playing competitive snooker when he reaches this landmark birthday?
And when the Rocket does hang up his cue, which might be sooner than we all hope, how will the sport survive in his absence?
Ronnie O’Sullivan has a huge influence on snooker[/caption]
But the Rocket could decide to hang up his cue before his 50th birthday later this year[/caption]
Like legendary singer Frank Sinatra, O’Sullivan has announced his intentions to retire on multiple occasions down the years, only to perform a sharp U-Turn and fetch the dickie bow from the wardrobe.
But this year there are genuine concerns, in light of his recent inactivity, he might be closer to the end than we had expected.
O’Sullivan, 49, is the biggest name in the sport and having won seven world championships – a record tied with Stephen Hendry – he can claim to be the Greatest Of All Time.
You only have to attend a snooker tournament in the UK to see the queues of people zigzagging round the block to know when O’Sullivan is playing.
Digital figures on our website for example dramatically spike whenever he is at the table and there is an argument he is bigger than the sport.
When O’Sullivan pulled out of this month’s Masters, citing exhaustion and a broken cue, the interest towards this Triple Crown tournament dipped considerably.
After 33 years of travelling round the world – he ‘graduated’ into the pro ranks in 1992 alongside John Higgins and Mark Williams – he is simply knackered.
It is tough having to perform for audiences every time and his battles with drink, drugs and depression are well-documented.
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O’Sullivan has won seven World Championship titles throughout his career[/caption]
O’Sullivan is at a crossroads in his career as his game dips, his confidence disappears and players like world No.1 Judd Trump and world champion Kyren Wilson steal the headlines and lift the trophies.
Towards the start of the year, O’Sullivan “lost the plot” when he snapped his cue in anger because he was so angry with his game at a behind-closed-doors event in Leicester.
The cue ended up in the BIN and would have stayed there for dustman to collect had loyal pal Robbie not retrieved it for safekeeping.
O’Sullivan withdrew from the Masters at Ally Pally – where he was defending champion – and is not involved in this week’s German Masters in Berlin.
Nobody, only the man himself, knows when he will next play but the countdown to the Crucible has begun and he could turn up there feeling undercooked and with limited game time.
Lucrative exhibitions in the Far East and Saudi Arabia – where he has an academy in Riyadh – will keep the bank manager happy.
The Essex potter plans to spend more time away from the UK, particularly as he cannot be bothered to play in “leisure centres” in Crawley or Brentwood.
And especially now he has been given residency in Hong Kong.
When SunSport spoke with O’Sullivan before Christmas, he insisted he could play until he is 60 and had told new coach Lee Walker “just keep me going for 10 years”.
O’Sullivan said: “I wouldn’t say it’s the end. Definitely wouldn’t say it’s the end.
“I’m definitely going to keep playing. The last time I enjoyed playing snooker like I have done the last couple of months was when I was 14, I’ll be honest with you.”
However that chat was before the event in the East Midlands and the damage to his equipment.
It has been a difficult time in his personal life and splitting from fiancée Laila Rouass after 13 years together has hit him hard.
He has broken almost every record in the sport, earned millions, there is very little left to achieve and motivate him.
When he does stop playing, it is a serious issue for the World Snooker Tour and leaves an enormous gap to fill.
Eurosport, which has been home to the sport for many years, is switching off soon and all content will move over to TNT Sports, which means punters will now have to pay £30.99-a-month.
If O’Sullivan is not part of that programming, some fans may ditch the sport altogether and watch something else.
There are young players coming through but many of those are from China and the language barrier makes it harder for them to become household names.
Darts has been transformed since Luke Littler, 18, emerged as the youngest world champion in history.
Snooker, which admittedly is a different game and takes more time to perfect, does not have its own Littler.
British youngsters such as Stan Moody, Liam Graham and Liam Pullen will become good players in time but none of them have the same electrifying X Factor as Littler.
Nor have they had the same initial impact as O’Sullivan did when he won the 1993 UK Championship, the sport’s second-biggest event, aged 17.
Having three premier events – the Worlds, UKs and Masters – on the BBC until 2032 is a massive boost and that will continue to attract significant TV audiences.
A massive decision will be made before 2027 when the deal with the Crucible expires and snooker bosses are in negotiations with Sheffield City Council about whether the World Championship should remain in its current home.
This spring could be the final time that O’Sullivan appears in South Yorkshire as a player before he switches to punditry.
We should all make sure we enjoy him while we can. Without him, the sport will never be the same again.
Wilson speaks for many when he says he hopes O’Sullivan hangs around for the rest of his sixth decade but he feels the sport will survive whatever decision he makes in 2025.
The Warrior told SunSport: “I hope (his retirement) doesn’t happen for a long time.
“Every time he’s at an event, he just brings that extra bit of atmosphere. It’s great value for the crowd.
“There probably would have been an argument for what the sport was going to do when Alex Higgins retired. What would happen when Jimmy White goes?
“Or when Steve Davis or Hendry packed it in. We’re always going to have these conversations.
“People love snooker for snooker. They have their heroes, people that tune in and watch for entertainment.
“It’s always going to be a sad loss if any of their heroes depart. But the game will survive, it will go on.”
Inside Ronnie’s colourful career
FROM his lightning breaks to blasts at officials, Ronnie O’Sullivan has fired snooker into the spotlight.
The seven-time world champion makes almost as big an impact away from the table as on it.
O’Sullivan has three children – two daughters and a son.
And the Rocket’s on-off relationship with British actress Laila Rouass has also hit the headlines.
He has opened up on battles with his weight and addiction.
While the controversial cueist reckons he wasted NINE YEARS of his career by partying too hard.
Despite being worth £14million, O’Sullivan is renowned for his love of canal boats and snubbing flashy cars.
His rivalry with fellow star Judd Trump has been branded ‘snooker’s greatest feud’.
And Ali Carter had his nose knocked out of joint by the Rocket in their infamous ‘Snotgate’ row.
Check out all our latest Ronnie O’Sullivan articles.
