‘I have a lot of commitments’ – Ronnie O’Sullivan casts doubt over playing in two major UK snooker tournaments

RONNIE O’SULLIVAN has refused to commit to appearing in the next two big events this month after a surprise loss in China.

The Rocket, 48, lost 6-4 to world No.26 Pang Junxu in the last 32 of the International Championship – one of the few ranking tournaments in the Far East he has yet to claim.

The seven-time world champion is set to play in the Champion of Champions next week in Bolton and then it is the UK Championship – which he has won a record eight times – in York.

Yet he is not planning on flying straight back to the UK and will spend several more days out in Asia.

The former world No.1 knows his commercial value, especially when it comes to appearances and exhibitions.

And says he has reached that period in his life and career where he decides at short notice if he fancies playing the next tournament or not.

O’Sullivan said: “I will see. I will spend a few days here in China. I’ve got a bit more stuff to do.

“I don’t know, I always make my mind up a day before a tournament whether I am going to play or not. I don’t even know what I’m doing.

“Listen, ever since I have been playing the game, I always make my mind up the day before the event. If you feel good, you want to play, you are ready – then you play.

“If you are not ready, you don’t play. So hopefully I am ready to play. That’s all.

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“I enjoy my trips to China. I do my work. It’s my job at the end of the day. I have a lot of commitments with things. I play as much snooker as I feel I can.

“Pang played good. Deserved this win. He’s an in-form player.”

Pang beat O'Sullivan in their first meeting, two years ago in the Championship League, and he played some of his best ever snooker to claim this major scalp for the second time.

In frame nine, with the score locked at 4-4, he was on for a maiden career 147 but missed the final yellow, which rattled two pockets,
and he sealed a famous victory for his countrymen and women in Nanjing with a closing 123 break.

Pang, 24, said: “In the penultimate frame, I felt a bit tense and I didn’t get the position I wanted.

“I left myself with an almost impossible angle (on the black), so I wasn’t sure how to take on that final ball.

“When Ronnie came back to level after I was leading 4-2, I didn’t feel much pressure. His comeback wasn’t really related to my own performance.

“I managed to finish the last two frames with single visits. Overall, I felt much better, the rhythm was great, my luck was good and my long pots were solid.

“In my previous meetings, I held back quite a bit but this time I played more freely and went for my shots. It wasn’t fear. I approached the game as an opportunity to learn from him.”

World No.1 Judd Trump won the final four frames, after falling 4-2 down, to knock out martial arts expert Joe O’Connor 6-4.