'Rocket' running out of fuel

Ronnie O’Sullivan bowed out of the williamhill.com UK Championship in York today and claimed he needs to end his career if he is to have a life away from snooker.

On the table, O’Sullivan’s two-year wait for a ranking event title was forced to continue as he was beaten 6-5 in the second round by Judd Trump, but the Essex cueman, who turned 36 yesterday, was keen to discuss matters away from the baize.

Despite having been the sport’s box-office attraction for the majority of his 20-year career, O’Sullivan has rarely been a settled presence as snooker’s public face and has continually threatened to retire despite being regarded as the most talented player of all-time.

Having gone through public battles with depression, O’Sullivan’s mindset has always been one of snooker’s talking points, but he says the penny has finally dropped as to why he has gone through such turmoil.

“I thought I applied myself today, I feel in a good place and I don’t want to take the shine off Judd but I seriously can’t see me having much longer playing,” O’Sullivan said.

“Even though I’m in a good frame of mind, I don’t want to feel how I feel when I play. My game is not up to scratch, where I would like it to be or where it used to be. It’s not even playing, it’s how I feel in between matches and tournaments. It leaves me feeling quite nervy and anxious and I feel like I’ve had enough of the anxious moments.

“Having those emotions going round in general, I find quite difficult. I feel really well, the best I have ever done, I just feel some times the truth needs to be told. I’ve given it a really good go, but how long? I don’t know.

“I want to enjoy my life. I feel like I’ve had a good go, I’m 36 and I would like to meet somebody and share my time with someone. When I’m feeling the way I feel between tournaments I find that very difficult to happen. I think there’s more to life, or there is for me.”

O’Sullivan, who has wowed crowds and infuriated the authorities in equal measure throughout a career that has seen him win 22 ranking titles, has been seeing sports psychologist Dr Steve Peters in a bid to solve his problems.

He claims, though, that constantly being on the road is a key factor behind his domestic instability and he is keen to make changes.

“I’d like to settle down and do some other things and not have the anxious moments and thoughts that have plagued me,” he added.

“I will probably try and tough it out for a little bit. Everybody knows I’ve been seeing Dr Steve Peters and he’ll kill me for saying this and opening up like this.

“I will talk to him and I think for my own piece of mind, my own life, there is life beyond snooker. I still want to work and I’m sure I’ll find stuff to do but I want to share my life with someone. I don’t want to be living on my own, I don’t want to travel around the world on my own feeling anxious, carrying these emotions.

“To be the real Ronnie, I need to get away from what’s causing the problem.”

While O’Sullivan was left pondering his future once again, at 14 years his junior and viewed as the heir-apparent to his people’s champion crowd, Trump has little to bother him.

The Bristol potter’s fearless style has already won him a legion of fans, and his ability to sink difficult, long reds today helped him take the last two frames for a come-from-behind win.

“I think I got outplayed, my safety wasn’t great and I let him in first in over half of the frames,” Trump said.

“I got a little bit lucky to still be in the match but it’s always nice to be in the last stages.”

The afternoon’s other second-round encounter was another thriller, with two-time winner Ding Junhui seeing off the 2003 champion Matthew Stevens 6-5.

Tonight’s game pits Graeme Dott against Neil Robertson and John Higgins against Stephen Maguire.