Ronnie O’Sullivan joked he would instantly retire from snooker if the sport determined to take a leaf out of darts’ guide.
The 49-year-old is snooker’s most adorned participant in historical past having gained 41 rating titles.
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A seven-time world champion, O’Sullivan has additionally scooped a report eight Masters titles together with as many UK Championships.
He’s but to win a event within the 2024/25 season, having withdrawn from eight occasions – most not too long ago the Welsh Open.
The mysterious string of absences has led to questions over his future within the sport.
Again in September, the ever-charismatic O’Sullivan joined the talkSPORT Breakfast Present and admitted he’ll stop straight away if snooker introduces walk-on music.
O’Sullivan was requested whether or not snooker wants ‘jazzing up’ to draw a youthful viewers.
Co-host Natalie Sawyer questioned whether or not the sport must comply with darts’ swimsuit and have gamers stroll to the desk with their very own music.
Not having it, O’Sullivan joked: “I would most likely positively retire!
“I would be like, ‘ what? I am out of right here now’.”
Nonetheless, O’Sullivan did acknowledge that the UK has an issue with kids getting concerned in snooker, in comparison with abroad.
He mentioned: “Within the UK it’s an older crowd, however in China and Saudi Arabia, they’ve a really younger crowd watching it, I do not know why that’s.
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“I feel it is at all times been that within the UK, loads of the older individuals simply love snooker, however I do not know why that’s, I actually do not have a clue.
“I feel when snooker is up towards soccer and tennis and golf, whenever you’re a mother or father, you are , ‘What shall I get my child concerned in?’
“Snooker goes to come back actually down on the backside of the checklist I might think about.”
Like darts and Ally Pally, snooker has its personal religious house at The Crucible in Sheffield.
Nevertheless, there have been some strategies from Matchroom chief Barry Hearn that the World Championships could possibly be moved to Saudi Arabia.
When requested about that, O’Sullivan mentioned: “I like enjoying in China and in Saudi Arabia.
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“I might most likely be spending extra time enjoying in these occasions and doing exhibitions and stuff on the market.
“I similar to being on the market, so any excuse to get me on the market… I spend most of my time there as I can.”
Not like in lots of professionals sports activities, the place athletes are likely to retire of their late 30s, there is no such thing as a set age for when snooker gamers name it quits.
O’Sullivan turned the oldest World Championship winner in 2022 on the age of 46 – two years after his earlier triumph on the Crucible.
In the meantime Mark Williams was 43 when he emerged victorious within the 2018 closing – 15 years after his second world title crown.
And O’Sullivan declared that success as gamers become older relies upon completely on whether or not you continue to have love for the sport.
He mentioned: “It relies upon the place you are at with it, Stephen Hendry [seven-time world champion], he was such a winner, that when he wasn’t profitable, he discovered it actually troublesome.
“I feel Steve Davis was the identical, Jimmy White appeared to be like, ‘I do not actually care about profitable or shedding, I simply love the sport.’
“So should you love the game then clearly [you can keep playing], but when it is essential to you that you simply’re profitable and competing on the prime finish of the sport, as you become older, inevitably these kids come alongside and so they’re actually unbelievable gamers.
“So it is exhausting for a few of the older established gamers to maintain getting in some ways as a result of these kids are very, excellent.”