Express Premium Standard Ronnie O’Sullivan hits Macau Masters after sacrificing Christmas at home for the event Ronnie O’Sullivan sacrificed Christmas at home to play in a non-profit event in China.
Author: SAM SMITH 16:52, Wednesday, December 27, 2023 | Updated: 16:58, Wednesday, 27/12/2023 5 READING SIGN Ronnie O’Sullivan Ronnie O’Sullivan has been ruled out of the lucrative Chinese event Marco Fu comfortably snubbed Ronnie O Sullivan’s invitation to the Macau Masters, leaving Rocket without a lucrative £150,000 winner and trophy.
OSullivan went to Asia to mark the occasion, celebrating a big win over Ding Jinhui on Christmas Day.
Macau hosted two invitational events, with O Sullivan participating in the second tournament. He got off to a perfect start in the eight-man competition, beating Ding 6-2 and making two century breaks. However, Fu defeated world number one O Sullivan convincingly on Wednesday, winning 6-2 and sending the racket out of the tournament. This means he misses out on the huge sum of money offered to the winning player. O’Sullivan was one of a number of high-profile darts players lobbying the World Snooker Tour to play in China. The lucrative amounts offered to the stars are much higher than what is available to them in the UK.
But O’Sullivan missed out on the chance to win the top prize after losing to Fu. It’s a disappointment after he spent his Christmas Day hitting on Ding. The 48-year-old insists he will never play again unless he gets the chance to play in China often. Snooker bosses are at odds with their biggest stars over being allowed to play in unsanctioned events in Asia, as Barry Hearn demands that all players who want to play in China cancel their contracts. Events scheduled in the Far East often conflict with World Snooker Tour events.
“If I can’t go and do what I have to do, which is play a lot in China, then I’ll never play again. So we’re kind of at a crossroads now,” O’Sullivan said in November. . “If it gets to the point where I can’t, I can’t, I probably won’t play. I’ll probably go play Chinese 8-ball because I still want to play snooker, I still want the wedge in my hand. “Here in the UK there is simply not enough to justify my efforts. If someone will respect me and value me more, why shouldn’t I go there? It’s like being in an unhealthy relationship with someone, why should you be in it?”
