Ronnie O'Sullivan says World Championship is not worth the 'blood, sweat and tears'
"I don't even want to play in the World Championship - all the press and media they want you to (do), I'm not here for that."
By Joe Tanner
Last Updated: 23/05/19 11:26am
Ronnie O'Sullivan says the World Championship is not worth the "blood, sweat and tears" and that he will no longer play Triple Crown events.
The World Championship, along with the Masters and the UK Championship, are seen as snooker's three major tournaments but O'Sullivan says that he will only play in a handful of smaller events in the immediate future.
Seven-time UK winner O'Sullivan, who regained the world No 1 spot earlier this year, endured a shock defeat to amateur player James Cahill in the first round of this year's World Championships and has grown tired of his media duties.
"I only want to play a few games to keep a bit of interest. Maybe three or four tournaments a year - low-key ones, where there is no media (duty)," he told The Telegraph.
"So I will miss the Masters, the World Championship and the UK (Championship). I don't even want to play in the World Championship - all the press and media they want you to (do), I'm not here for that.
"I've won it five times. It ain't worth the blood, sweat and tears to me now. That tournament? Probably not for me any more."
The 43 year-old, who recently eclipsed 1,000 century breaks in his career, has hit out at snooker's administrative bodies for the rules around media duties.
O'Sullivan has 19 titles in Triple Crown tournaments but admits his relationship with snooker's bodies have not been cordial.
"It's like a broken marriage," he added. "They don't like me, I don't really like them. We are living under the same roof, just trying to be nice and tolerate each other.
"But if they want to overstep the mark and make my life too unhappy, I'm off. You are going to lose out because I am not going to come to your tournaments. I'm going to lose out because, really, I want to play."
