Ronnie O’Sullivan had flight booked before climax of clash with John Higgins at World Snooker Championship – ‘Thought it could be two-session match’
BY Alex Livie
Published 27/04/2026 at 19:42 GMT+1
Ronnie O’Sullivan made a potentially costly error after booking a flight for the morning of the final session of his World Championship clash with John Higgins.
O’Sullivan eased into the second round with a 10-2 win over He Guoqiang, but said his confidence was so low that he did not expect to reach the final session of his match with Higgins.
As it turned out, O’Sullivan made a superb start to the contest and led 6-2 after the first session to guarantee he could not lose in two sessions.After leading 9-4 at one stage, O’Sullivan saw Higgins claw his way back into the clash.
The contest see-sawed and went to a deciding frame, which went Higgins’ way as he booked his place in a Crucible quarter-final for the fifth year in a row.
Although disappointed to fall short in his bid for an eighth World Championship, O’Sullivan went further than he expected.
”I missed too many vital balls all through that match, important shots I got tight and nervous,” O’Sullivan told TNT Sports.
”When you are playing more and winning more that is probably what it is, you probably pot those clutch balls.”That is the difference between winning the big matches and tournaments, you pot those balls under pressure. I missed far too many.
”It’s all about potting the big balls under pressure and I just didn’t.
”I have probably done well to get that close to be fair.
“I did have a flight booked early this morning as I was not sure I was going to go [beyond] two sessions, as John is such a great player playing well.
”I thought it could be a two-session match, so to take it that far I feel quite proud of myself.””I did not want to play, so a lot of positives
O’Sullivan showed signs of frustration as Higgins clawed his way back into the match on Sunday, but he said punching the table and slapping the cushion with his cue was down to releasing tension.
”It was kind of a nice sort of anger,” he said. ”Then the last frame, I thought, rather than the hand, I’ll do it with the cue.
”I wasn’t really that angry. I missed a tough ball, it was nice to go, bang. Within a second it’s deleted and I’m cool as a cucumber, really.
”I like to just get it out and it’s just done, draw a line under it and move forward.”
A honest interview and rather positive all things considered. Of course Ronnie knows that he didn’t play enough and that he isn’t sharp but there is more. There is a strange dynamic between the members of the class of 92: Ronnie has a good record against Willo. Willo has a great record against Higgins and Highins has a great record against Ronnie.
It’s not all about money for Ronnie:
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/snooker/ronnie-osullivan-world-seniors-snooker-37102019
Unfortunately since then another interview came out, where he said he would never play a tournament unless they pay him appearance fees. It’s so disheartening, everyone lives off the market, everyone needs to pay bills, this kind of money grabbing is so distasteful to me. I have always been his fan, I never enjoyed and admired a player as much as him, not only for the game, but for the presence he had at the table. But it’s just utterly disappointing and disgraceful, hope nobody will pay him just for showing up. 😥
He should not be payed “just for showing up” but on the other hand his presence usually guarantees a bigger audience at the events, hence more money and exposure for the ones who set it up, be it WST and/or another organisation. It also brings more media coverage and exposure for the sport itself. In short, it brings value and money to the sport and to the organisers of events, be them WST or another body, and it hasn’t happened by chance, it’s happened because of the work he put in since he was just a boy, because of the way he plays, because what he has done and won for over 30 years. Yes, he wants something for it … and, yes, maybe he could be more generous. But then WST has not always been kind to him either, far from it. He got zero support and understanding when he struggled with depression and anxiety as a young player. Quite the opposite. Fortunately those issues are now better understood and help is now available for struggling players.
Ronnie is currently helping Wu Yize, he’s been helping other young players who showed promises and talent.
Alan Mc Manus feels that Ronnie doesn’t work hard enough. Maybe he’s right, but maybe there are private circumstances that take priority. F.i. Ronnie’s wife suffers from an incurable disease. It’s not life threatening but it impacts her mobility. She was an actress and a dancer. It hit her hard and maybe she needs support … and someone to help and look after her when Ronnie is away.
In short, my view is that we should refrain from judging unless we know all the facts which we don’t. And, remember, WE HAVE NO RIGTH TO KNOW.
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I think this is just the time to agree to disagree. Yes, WST has not always been kind to Ronnie, and if he has grievances about it, he has every right to voice it and complain. If he had enough of his career and retire, maybe help others to develop, fine. I’m not saying he ought to work more, of course he should if he wants to do better than the last two seasons, because they were pretty awful, but if he doesn’t, that’s fine too. His life, his priorities. But to remain a so-called professional snooker player who only plays if they pay him to show up (which is what he said) and make people speculate that maybe he withdrew in the last minute because the money didn’t arrive, is unacceptable for me. Retire and play exhibitions that pay him well, fine. But to say “any tournament I go they all know they have to get the chequebook out,” or he won’t turn up, makes me sick. I’m sorry, but I don’t find any way around it.
I don’t think that Ronnie expects WST or WPBSA to pay him to play. They won’t and they shouldn’t as it would create a dangerous “precedent” and I’m sure Ronnie knows that. But the events’ sponsor(s) … that’s a different situation. I’m not saying they should pay him, I’m just saying that the possibility is there if they really want him in the event, if they see value in it. Of course, the less he plays, and wins, the less interested the said sponsors will be. I’m sure Ronnie understands that … it’s not rocket science.