Ronnie O’Sullivan has snubbed a new snooker event in Reading as he can’t make it fit around his diary. The Rocket, who turns 50 next month, is now based in Dubai after ditching the UK earlier this year.
O’Sullivan has enjoyed a sensational career in snooker and has won a joint-record seven World Championships alongside Stephen Hendry. But he has endured a difficult year at the baize in 2025 and had an extended period away from the sport after smashing his cue in anger during a match in January.
He went on to reach the semi-finals of the World Championship at the Crucible in May, before losing to eventual champion Zhao Xintong. He then lost to Neil Robertson in the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters final as he missed out on the chance to bank £500,000.
The new Snooker 900 event was launched earlier this year and will get underway on November 24, before concluding the following day.
It will be played at the Crucible Sports & Social Club in Reading and will offer a total prize pot of £70,000.
And matches will be played under special rules, with each frame lasting a maximum of 15 minutes, or 900 seconds.
There will be a 20-second shot clock, with the first player to win six frames progressing to the next round. The final will be a best-of-13 affair.
Eight players will compete in the tournament, with John Higgins, Neil Robertson, Mark Selby, Mark Williams, Barry Hawkins, Xiao Guodong and Gary Wilson already confirming their place.
But there will be no O’Sullivan, with The Sun reporting that the legendary player had shown an interest in featuring but couldn’t make it work diary-wise.
“It is great to see some of the top boys playing Snooker 900,” O’Sullivan explained. “It will be great for viewers of Pluto TV as well.”
O’Sullivan, who deliberately broke the rules during a match last week, signalled his intentions to leave the UK alongside his wife Laila Rouass during his appearance at the Crucible in the spring.
And discussing his new life abroad during an interview in September, the talented ace said: “Really enjoying it out there. Great gyms. I’m enjoying that side of it. I had some friends over there before that played snooker and they’ve helped me get into Dubai life.
“I’ve met some really nice friends and fitted in really well. So yeah, it’s great. I’m not a sunbather, but I’d much rather the heat than cold, if that makes sense. Spring and autumn are my favourite times.”
