Ronnie O’Sullivan reveals his plans for retirement with his new wife after she gave him an ultimatum to quit the UK for Dubai amid fears he’ll quit snooker
Ronnie O’Sullivan is eyeing a record eighth World Championship before he calls time on his snooker career.
The Rocket, who turns 50 in December, is also vying to become the first player in their 50s to win at the Crucible, though he’s already the oldest after his victory two years ago.
He currently holds seven world titles – leaving him level with snooker legend Stephen Hendry – but O’Sullivan has been heavily critical of his game in recent years leading to fears he could quit the sport.
However in an interview this week ahead of his return to the table at the Xi’an Grand Prix, the game’s greatest player confirmed he has no plans to finish just yet.
‘I’ve always said there’s nothing left for me to achieve in snooker, but that’s (an eighth win at the Crucible) all that’s left for me to achieve,’ the world no. 4 told The Express.
‘I’m going to aim for another two or three world titles, knowing I won’t get three, I probably won’t get two but I might get one.
Snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan has no plans to retire from the sport just yet
The Rocket, who turns 50 in December, is eyeing a record-breaking eighth World Championship
‘I’m going to aim high and I always think if you aim well above what you want to achieve and if you don’t reach it, you reach somewhere you think you’re happy with.
‘There’s no point saying I’d like to make the quarters of the worlds because that’s probably all I’d do. But if I say I want to win another two or three but I might win one. It’s about pushing my mind beyond the end line to make it possible.’
At his last attempt to conquer the Crucible back in March, O’Sullivan was knocked out in the semi-finals by eventual winner Zhao Xintong.
Speaking about his performance in the tournament, the Brit added: ‘I was close even though I wasn’t playing great. I didn’t have a good cue, I had problems with my tip, it was all over the place. I’m not making excuses.
‘Now I can just play snooker for the next two or three years, there’s only one thing left that anyone talks about which is winning another world title.’
Adding fuel to fears of an imminent retirement was Sullivan’s announcement last week that he’s official quit the United Kingdom.
The London-born star upped sticks in the summer along with his wife Laila Rouass, who he married in June just 10 months after they split.
Rouass refused to live in Yorkshire, and O’Sullivan strangely felt he had nowhere else to practice in the UK, so it was either Spain or Dubai.
At his last appearance at the Crucible, O’Sullivan was knocked out in the semi-finals to eventual winner Zhao Xintong
The London-born star has however since quit the United Kingdom for Dubai with his wife Laila Rouass
Just 10 months after reports of a split surfaced, the couple tied the knot earlier this summer
The couple eventually decided on the latter, meaning O’Sullivan is closer to his academy in Saudi Arabia and to China, where many of the tournaments he plays in are based.
Opening up about the move, he told The Sun: ‘It’s really good, I’ve got a practice facility there which was one of the main reasons for going.
‘I was struggling to find somewhere to play. It was either get a train up to Sheffield or try to move to Sheffield. But my wife wasn’t too keen on Sheffield. So she said we either go Spain or Dubai.
‘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.’
The Rocket is the latest in a growing number of stars to ditch Britain for the tax-free haven of Dubai.
Lindsey Lohan, Amir Khan and more recently Rio Ferdinand have made the switch, citing predominantly the city’s better quality of life as their reasoning.
