Snooker rival issues verdict on Ronnie O'Sullivan retirement talk and Dubai move for tax reasons

Widely acknowledged as snooker’s greatest player of all-time, O’Sullivan has been an ever-present on the professional circuit since his debut season in 1992/93.

‘The Rocket’ is going for a record eighth Crucible World Snooker Championship title over the next couple of weeks, and began his latest quest very well with a comfortable 10-2 opening round victory - that featured three century breaks - over Chinese qualifier He Guoqiang on Wednesday in Sheffield.

The 50-year-old’s playing schedule this season has been lighter than those around him in the rankings, although that is no surprise for O’Sullivan in recent times.

A big factor in terms of his competition diary for this season is that O’Sullivan has been residing in Dubai, therefore can only work in the UK for a certain amount of days.

Only twice has O’Sullivan played on British soil this 2025/26 term: at the UK Championship in December when he lost to Zhou Yuelong in the first round, and his current trip to Sheffield for the 2026 World Snooker Championship.

But once the record 41-time ranking event winner is done with this year’s blue riband event - whatever that outcome may be - he is scheduled to stay in the country for two big non-professional events.

He is in the draw to make his bow at the 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship which is held at the Crucible after the professional version, and then he’ll be off to the Crucible Sports and Social Club in Reading for the inaugural Global Pluto TV Snooker 900 Championship.

Earlier this month, again, away from the official top tier, O’Sullivan was at Goffs in Kildare, Ireland for the John Virgo Trophy that he won.

But despite these forays at events away from the professional tour, recent Welsh Open winner Hawkins doesn’t think it equates to O’Sullivan stepping away from the top of the sport.

The world number 11 - who shared a world championship final with O’Sullivan in 2013 - exclusively spoke with 247Bet saying: “I don’t think he will be thinking about retirement. I think Ronnie simply loves the game. It gives him structure and routine in his life.”

“We all saw in China (at the World Open where O’Sullivan reached the final) that he’s still been practicing hard behind the scenes, and from what I understand, he’s going to give it his all for the next few years and will be trying to get himself back out of this so-called lull he’s been having for the last three or four years.”

In terms of his sparse appearances on home soil this season that have seen opt out of big tournaments such as the Masters, Players Championship, and Tour Championship, Hawkins concurs that these decisions could be down to tax reasons.

“I know that when he moved to Dubai, it was for tax reasons, so he was only back in the country for so many days of the year. That may have factored into the number of events he’s played in. So I think maybe after this year, that will all finish, and he’ll be allowed to play in more events again” said Hawkins.

O’Sullivan’s next obstacle at the Crucible is a blockbuster showdown with fellow ‘Class of 92’ member John Higgins in the last 16 that begins on Saturday night.

Hawkins faces the other member of that fabled triumvirate, Mark Williams, in round two. That contest starts on Friday morning at 10:00BST.

To view the full draw, results, schedule, and other information from the 2026 World Snooker Championship, visit our tournament information centre here.

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