RONNIE O’SULLIVAN plans to appear in a minimum of ten tournaments a season because he cannot be bothered to play snooker in UK leisure centres. The Rocket, 49, is not a fan of some of the venues that are chosen by the World Snooker Tour for their ranking titles, particularly the Home Series events. In 2023, the seven-time Crucible King claimed the standard of leading UK events and choice of locations reminded him of “car boot sales”.
Famously, O’Sullivan labelled the K2 Leisure Centre in Crawley a “hellhole” that “smells of urine” during the 2018 English Open. It is all a contrast to the wealth and luxury he is enjoying whenever he goes to Saudi Arabia where money is no object and players are treated like VIPs. Essex-based O’Sullivan – who pulled out of the Scottish Open in Edinburgh last week because of fatigue – said: “I’m not being harsh.
It’s really difficult when you go to a leisure centre. “You’ve got 50-100 people all standing outside. You’ve got to get through that, play a best of seven frames.
“Then you’re not sure when you’re going to be on. They say you could be on at 8.30 but you get on at 11.
“It’s a nine-hour journey from my house to Edinburgh. You weigh it all up and think you can’t be bothered. “Ten to fifteen years ago I’d probably have been fine but I can’t play every tournament or every week.
BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKER S “I’ll try and play a minimum of 10 and I’ll pick the best 10 .