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Ronnie O'Sullivan has threatened to quit this year's World Championships. PA Wire/Press Association Images
Snookered

'I'm not that bothered by the World Championships' - Ronnie O'Sullivan

The world number three says the event is just too long.

RONNIE O’SULLIVAN HAS cast doubt over his participation in next month’s World Championships after revealing that he gives very little of his time towards the sport any more.

The five-time champion has described the tournament as one of his least favourite tournaments because of the length of time it runs for. Speaking to the Guardian newspaper he said:

“Snooker is no longer what it once was for me. I just use snooker, rather than letting it use me.

“I know it sounds crazy but I wasn’t even sure if I was going to enter the worlds. I probably will but it’s got to the point where I want to give snooker only 20% of my time.

“It’s not something I’m that bothered about. It’s probably one of my least favourite tournaments. 17 days is too long.”

The Rocket has form for this kind of behaviour in the past, threatening to not compete in the 2014 Masters before encouragement from fans on Twitter helped him to change his mind.

He has courted controversy in recent years by hitting out at the prize money on offer in the sport, culminating with his refusal to pot the final black in a 147 break because the prize money on offer was only £4,000.

Were O’Sullivan to opt out of the World Championship it would be a huge blow to the competition, losing the game’s most marketable figure.

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