China or UK? Snooker champ Ronnie O’Sullivan makes clear where he would rather play tournaments

O’Sullivan defends players’ right to travel to China for big-money events, despite recent conflict with the game’s chiefs over doing so

‘I get paid so much more for going to do that and it’s really hard for me to turn them down,’ says world No 1, who is ‘looking forward to Christmas in Macau’

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Ronnie O’Sullivan enters the arena before last year’s Hong Kong Masters final at Hong Kong Coliseum. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Published: 7:00pm, 5 Dec 2023Updated: 9:09pm, 5 Dec 2023

Ronnie O’Sullivan has renewed his defence of snooker’s leading players for accepting invitations to lucrative events in China.

The world No 1 had previously voiced support for five other players who were told by World Snooker Tour (WST) that travelling to an exhibition in Macau in October – which coincided with the global circuit’s Northern Ireland Open – would put them in breach of contract.

Several players, including O’Sullivan, are also heading to the gambling hub at Christmas for the Wynn Presents 2023 Macau Snooker Masters.

That festive exhibition does not clash with a tour event, but O’Sullivan appeared not to rule out skipping the Scottish Open, which precedes it, as he reflected on his record-extending eighth UK Championship triumph on Sunday.

Ronnie O’Sullivan celebrates with the trophy after winning the UK final in York on Sunday. Photo: AP

“I might go to Scotland, I’ll see how I feel,” he told British media. “I’m looking forward to Christmas in Macau. There’s eight top-quality players. It’s at the Wynn Palace, so it’s a proper job.

“It would be nice for people to see it on TV, but [WST] wouldn’t let us have it on TV.”