Ronnie O’Sullivan warns he could skip World Snooker Championship at Crucible

Laila Rouass responds to question about Ronnie O'Sullivan split

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Ronnie O’Sullivan insists he would snub the chance to equal Stephen Hendry’s seven world titles at the Crucible – if a better offer came along. The Rocket gained some small revenge for one of the most humiliating defeats of his career with a 4-0 victory over amateur James Cahill at the Welsh Open yesterday.

Three years ago Cahill, now 26, pulled one of the great World Championship shocks with a 10-8 first-round win over O’Sullivan in Sheffield.

It was a different story altogether this time as the world No2 rattled in breaks of 53, 83 and 90 to win in just 43 minutes and 17 seconds, with an average shot time a shade over 15 seconds.

But afterwards six-time world champion O’Sullivan, 46, needing just one more to match Hendry’s record, claimed he would snub the blue-riband event if something else made him happier.

O’Sullivan was also on a quick turnaround having been the victim of a huge shock loss in the European Masters final on Sunday – losing 10-9 to world No80 Fan Zhengyi.

He said: “At some point you have to cut the emotions off, and it’s just a business. I look at what’s best for me.

“If someone rang me up next week and said we have a great job for you but it clashes with the World Championship and it was a better offer, then I’d go.

“Yes, absolutely, 100 per cent I would miss the World Championships for a better offer. I am all about business, and that’s how it has been for the last seven or eight years.

“No matter what it is I’ll look at it as a proposal and ask, is it something I want to do? And if it is, I’ll make a decision on it.

“That’s the best way for me to do it. If the World Championship was something I loved doing, then not a lot would tempt me away.

“But if it was a case of ‘Well, I’d rather play in Sheffield…but this is quite a good offer’, then you have to weigh it all up. I make a decision on each tournament and each proposal as it comes.

“I want to feel valued for my time, and not feel like I’m wasting my time. I don’t really care, but being this way is why I am still playing.

“I play when I want, don’t play when I don’t want, and I play like it’s a hobby. A serious hobby, like if you and your mates love fishing, are really into it and go away to do that and have fun…but a hobby.

“As for this match, it was all right. I didn’t practice after Sunday night before today – just had a spa day yesterday and a spa morning before the game. Just chilling out, treating it like a holiday.”

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