Ronnie O'Sullivan casts doubt on future after reaching World Grand Prix snooker quarter-finals after Zhou Yuelong win
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ByEurosport
Updated 19/01/2024 at 08:33 GMT
Ronnie O'Sullivan was scathing about his form despite producing another outstanding performance to reach the World Grand Prix quarter-finals on Thursday in Leicester with a 4-3 win over Zhou Yuelong in the last 16 boosted by breaks of 67, 107, 50 and 90 and a positional success rate of 97%. "I’ve got to really consider whether I can continue feeling how I'm feeling out there," said O'Sullivan.
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World No. 1 Ronnie O'Sullivan continued his outstanding run of form to edge out Zhou Yuelong 4-3 in reaching the quarter-finals of the World Grand Prix in Leicester before admitting he needs a break from the sport.
O'Sullivan reached the 141st ranking event quarter-final of his golden 32-year career by producing breaks of 67, 107, 50 and 90, but was far from happy with his performance in securing a meeting with Scottish Open champion Gary Wilson on Friday. Wilson reached the last eight with a 4-2 win against Tom Ford.
O'Sullivan is enjoying one of his best seasons on the professional circuit having won the Shanghai Masters, UK Championship and Masters, but cut a downbeat figure despite completing a sixth straight win over an in-form Zhou, who produced runs of 76, 102 and 65, enjoyed a pot success rate of 95% and did little wrong in losing a high-quality encounter.
“I can’t fathom it out,” said O’Sullivan on ITV. “I’ve got to really consider whether I can continue feeling how I'm feeling out there. I just don't get any enjoyment from the way I'm hitting the ball.
"It's just hard work, and I haven't a clue where the balls are going. It is just guesswork. And it is a struggle.
"The worst thing is you are winning bloody tournaments. If I was getting pumped first round every match, it would be an easy decision to make. I'm getting no enjoyment out of it to be honest with you.
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"I definitely need a break at least. But it's been like this for 25 or 30 years. So it's nothing different. It's the only thing I've known. And it's hard not to do this because its my job.
"It's all I know. I've struggled through it. Bad cueing. I’m getting no satisfaction from it, I just really don't. I’d rather cue well and lose than cue awful and win tournaments.”
O'Sullivan continued his lament, suggesting he would be happier losing matches so he could "go home", but insisted he would never lose matches deliberately.
"I do find it a real struggle. I feel like I'm going through the motions a lot of the time. I'd have been really happy to have got beat there. So I can go home.
"But it's not in me to throw games away. It’s bordering on that where I'm playing shots and if I miss, I'm hoping that they clear up, but they're not.
"One of them, put me out my misery, but they're not."
The 48-year-old previously walked away from the sport in 2012, taking an extended break which involved some time working on a pig farm.
O'Sullivan has now questioned whether another lengthy period away from the baize could reignite his love for the sport.
"The minimum I can do is have a break and see if I can get some enthusiasm back for the game., he said. "Breaks have helped me. I do miss something in my life, but I don't miss playing.
"But I miss something. Having a purpose in life. That's what I learned in 2012 when I took a year out.
"I realised I needed something in my life, and that is what Steve Peters said to me: 'We all need a purpose in life'
"I'm not sure snooker is my purpose anymore, I'm not sure it ever was with the battles I've had with it.
"But I've stuck at it because I've got family to support, my dad was where he was and just doing that was helping to keep the family strong, maybe I don't know."
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