Ronnie O’Sullivan’s manager has outlined the snooker legend’s plans for the new season. The Rocket endured a chaotic 2024/25 campaign on and off the table.
His struggles came to a head at a round of Championship League action in January, when he snapped his cue in anger, binned it and promptly pulled out of the Masters at Alexandra Palace, which he had been due to defend. A series of other late tournament withdrawals followed, leaving fans hoping to see the seven-time world champion in action disappointed. Armed with a new cue, he made his long-awaited return to action at the World Championship in April, making the semi-finals despite continuing equipment issues.
Following his defeat to eventual champion Zhao Xintong, O’Sullivan revealed he would be moving to the Middle East, where he has a snooker academy in Saudi Arabia, raising fresh doubts over his future in the game.
Meanwhile, the Rocket has reportedly reconciled with actress Laila Rouass, having split from his long-term partner nine months ago. The couple are said to be planning to move to Dubai, a two-hour flight from his academy in Riyadh.
The Rocket’s long-time manager, Jason Francis, says the 49-year-old has been benefiting from a change of scene and expects him to play at the Shanghai Masters, a prestigious invitational event, which begins on July 28.
“Ronnie’s moved out to the Middle East for a while. You’ll probably see him first in Shanghai. He’s had a little break from the UK,” Francis exclusively told the Express.
“You’re talking about someone who can’t go to the shop without being asked for a selfie, a photo. Where he is, he’s finding a life a little bit quieter at the moment.
“Ronnie’s Ronnie. He’ll decide when he wants to play and everyone knows he can come from nowhere to win a major tournament.
“You won’t see Ronnie play a full schedule [this season] but I think you’ll see him try and properly prepare for the tournaments he plays in.
“He’ll still be the sport’s most commercial player in the short-term. Whether Zhao Xintong or [Judd] Trump can pick up that mantle now as we transition… Ronnie will be 50 in December, people have to remember that. They still expect him to turn up and win everything.”
While still struggling with his game, making the last four at the Crucible was an impressive feat after so long out. On O’Sullivan’s performance at the World Championship, Francis added: “Absolutely incredible. He didn’t even have a cue a few weeks before!
“But that’s Ronnie for you. He had one bad session [losing all eight frames in the second session]. I’m not saying he could have beaten Xintong – there was a feeling his name was on the trophy – but apart from one bad session, he was still toe to toe with him.
“I think if he had beaten Xintong, him and Mark Williams would have been an incredible final. But it’s great for snooker to have a Chinese world champion and it’s for World Snooker to exploit that over there.”