Ronnie O’Sullivan will not be part of the field at the Wuhan Open when the third ranking event of the season gets underway in China on Sunday morning. The seven-time world champion was due to face fellow Englishman Allan Taylor in his tournament opener at 7am BST, but has been replaced by German player Umut Dikme. The Wuhan Open runs between August 24-30, and is live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Ronnie O’Sullivan has pulled out of the Wuhan Open, the season’s third ranking event on the World Snooker Tour, citing “medical reasons” for his withdrawal.
The seven-time world champion enjoyed a run to the final of the Saudi Arabia Masters final in Jeddah, losing 10-9 to Neil Robertson after trailing 7-2 then leading 9-8 in an epic battle on Saturday night.
“Ronnie O’Sullivan has pulled out of next week’s Wuhan Open in China for medical reasons,” said World Snooker Tour in a statement.
“O’Sullivan was due to meet Allan Taylor in the opening round on Sunday August 24.
“He will be replaced in the draw with the leading player from the Q School rankings, Germany’s Umut Dikme.”
O’Sullivan produced some vintage form at Jeddah, becoming the first player in history to produce two competitive 147s in a single session of snooker in a 6-3 win over Chris Wakelin in the semi-finals in Saudi.
He missed out on the £500,000 first prize in losing to Robertson, but earned £380,333 as a consolation.
O’Sullivan collected £200,000 as a runner-up and another £180,333 for his two 147s against Chris Wakelin in the semi-finals plus a share of the £50,000 highest break prize.
But the Dubai-based world No. 4 confirmed during the competition he would be cutting back on his exhibition schedule this season to ensure he is fresh to compete.
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He’s done it again! Watch as O’Sullivan makes second 147 in stunning semi-final showing
“I am going to give myself two years,” he said on TNT Sports. “There will be no more exhibitions or distractions off the table.
“I will help out at the academy in Saudi Arabia.
“I enjoy the work I am doing there and hopefully we can do something similar in the UK because my true love is to help people and give back.
“That helps me to learn from other people. Otherwise, it will just be tournaments and getting fit.”
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O’Sullivan spent three months out after snapping his cue during the Championship League in January.
He returned for the World Championship in April, reaching the semi-finals before losing 17-7 to Zhao Xintong in early May amid obvious struggles for consistency.
But fellow professional Sunny Akani has constructed a new cue for O’Sullivan, who has shown signs of rediscovering peak levels in recent weeks.
He lost 6-3 to world No. 2 Kyren Wilson in the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters before defeating Wilson 6-5 at the same stage on his run to the final in Saudi Arabia.
It is uncertain when he will return, but the English Open, the fourth ranking event of the season, is due to be staged in O’Sullivan’s home town of Brentwood in Essex between September 11-21.
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‘Oh wow!’ – Watch the top 5 shots from the Saudi Arabia Masters
Top 16 in world rankings after Saudi Arabia Masters
1. Judd Trump (Eng) £1,978,200
2. 2. Kyren Wilson (Eng) £1,348,300
3. 3. Neil Robertson (Aus) £1,047,050
4. 4. Ronnie O’Sullivan (Eng) £940,000
5. 5. Mark Williams (Wal) £885,600
6. 6. John Higgins (Sco) £781,250
7. 7. Ding Junhui (Chn) £636,000
8. 8. Barry Hawkins (Eng) £590,050
9. 9. Mark Selby (Eng) £588,000
10. 10. Zhao Xintong (Chn) £540,000
11. 11. Mark Allen (NI) £522,900
12. 12. Zhang Anda (Chn) £496,550
13. 13. Chris Wakelin (Eng) £481,400
14. 14. Xiao Guodong (Chn) £461,000
15. 15. Si Jiahui (Chn) £446,200
16. 16. Shaun Murphy (Eng) £432,900
17. – – –
18. Watch and stream top snooker action, including the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, live and on demand on TNT Sports and discovery+
The world ranking event in Wuhan runs from August 24-30.
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O’Sullivan set to revisit 147 gold after historic maximum double in Saudi Arabia
