Jimmy White has issued an update on Ronnie O’Sullivan following the Rocket’s withdrawal from the Masters. The snooker icon will be absent from the tournament, which he won for a record-extending eighth time 12 months ago, with his place being taken by Neil Robertson.
His withdrawal, on medical grounds, came a day after he quit the Championship League before his final scheduled group match. After a run of disappointing results, which saw him lose three out of four matches on Wednesday, his frustrations boiled over during Thursday’s action.
While leading Robert Milkins 2-1, O’Sullivan lost it after missing a simple pink, smashing his cue on the table before going on to lose 3-2. He is then rumoured to have dumped the cue in a bin before pulling out of the tournament and leaving the Leicester venue prior to his final group match against Ali Carter.
Confirmation that he wouldn’t be defending his Masters title followed on Friday. His behaviour at the Championship League sparked concerns for O’Sullivan’s wellbeing, but White issued a positive update about his close friend at the start of Eurosport’s coverage of the tournament.
“It’s a little bit disappointing for everyone but he’s such a perfectionist,” said White, who revealed O’Sullivan could even make an appearance in the Eurosport studio during the tournament.
“I spoke to him yesterday. He’s fine. He’s got a few things to sort out. He always wants to give 100 per cent. Hopefully he’ll be coming in the studio and be explaining a bit more in detail.
“But he’s fine. He just likes to perform at his best and he just thinks a few things weren’t right. We’ll have to wait and see and speak to him.”
White may have been alluding to the cue issues which appeared to trouble O’Sullivan in the Championship League. His withdrawal drew a compassionate response from 2005 world champion Shaun Murphy, who told the Metro: “Ronnie has been at the top end of the game since bursting on the scene in 1992, and I’ve often criticised his antics on and off the table.
“But one of the things I’ve always been clear about is that nobody has carried the weight of expectation that he does. There are players who have had that weight of public expectation for periods of time, but he has carried it since he turned professional.
“To achieve what he has achieved while carrying that weight of expectation must take immense strength of character and it can’t be easy to do that all the time. To be under such scrutiny and in the light so much must take a toll. I hope that he’s okay and nothing too seriously wrong with him and we’ll see him back to his best sooner rather than later.”
Robertson, as the leading out player outside the top 16, stepped in to face John Higgins in the first round as the invitational tournament got under way at Alexandra Palace on Sunday afternoon.
