Ronnie O’Sullivan Plans Move to Middle East After World Championship Exit

Sheffield, England – Seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan announced he plans to leave the UK and move to the Middle East following his defeat in the World Championship semi-finals against Zhao Xintong on Friday.

The 49-year-old snooker star lost to Zhao with a score of 17-7, finishing a session early. This was O’Sullivan’s first tournament since he snapped his cue in frustration at the Championship League in January. Prior to his exit, he had defeated Ali Carter, Pang Junxu, and Si Jiahui, raising hopes for an eighth title at the Crucible Theatre.

“I think I’m going to be moving out of the UK this year,” O’Sullivan said. “A new life somewhere else. I don’t know how that’s going to pan out.”

He confirmed that he has been thinking about his future in snooker. “I’ll still try and play, but I don’t know what the future looks like for me,” he added. “There are a lot of more important things in life to worry about than a game of snooker.”

O’Sullivan mentioned he might return to the UK within six months, but his immediate plans involve relocating to the Middle East, where he has a snooker academy in Saudi Arabia. He expressed uncertainty about the future, saying, “I know I said I’d like to try and give it two years, but if I’m going to play like that what’s the point? It’s not good.”

The snooker icon recognized that he has struggled with his form recently, stating, “The way I like to play is to get among the balls, score heavily, with complete control over the cue ball, but over the last four years I really haven’t had a clue where it’s going.”

After his match, O’Sullivan expressed support for Zhao, saying it would be “amazing” for him to become a world champion and that it would elevate the sport globally. “If he did, he’d be a megastar,” O’Sullivan concluded.