Shaun Murphy explains why Ronnie O'Sullivan has caused his own absence from snooker – 'A huge problem'
By Desmond Kane
Published 14/03/2025 at 14:20 GMT
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Masters champion Shaun Murphy is adamant snooker fans have not seen the last of Ronnie O'Sullivan challenging for major titles. O'Sullivan has been missing from the professional circuit since smashing up his cue at the Championship League in Leicester in January, but could play his first ranking event since November at next's month's World Championship as he chases a record eighth title victory.
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Ronnie O'Sullivan has probably prompted his extended absence from the professional game this season by smashing up his cue at the start of the year, according to Shaun Murphy.
The Masters champion expects to see O'Sullivan continue his quest for a record eighth world title at the World Championship in Sheffield next month, but has not been surprised by his latest sabbatical from the sport.
O'Sullivan last played a match at a ranking tournament in November's UK Championship in York with his last competitive action coming at the Championship League in early January when he withdrew after smashing his cue into pieces.
Murphy feels such a course of action is enough to warrant time away from the sport until he feels comfortable with a new stick.
"Let's not forget, he smashed his cue up last time out," said Murphy on his snooker podcast. "That’s a huge problem.
"It’s not like a golfer just going to the tour van and getting a new golf club. It is not like a tennis player getting a new tennis racket.
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"Not having a cue that you’re used to can be career-ending for many players.
"I don't think this is the end for Ronnie. What we’re seeing is somebody who has things going on in their life elsewhere off the table and doesn’t feel right playing at the moment.
"Don't forget this is a guy who took a year out and came back and won the World Championship."
Murphy feels the rest of O'Sullivan's career will follow a similar path where he picks and chooses which events he enjoys, with an eighth world title an obvious target before the snooker GOAT contemplates retirement.
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When asked if he expects the seven-time Crucible winner to quit the sport after 32 years as a professional, Murphy said: "I don’t think so. I just can’t see it.
"I don’t know Ronnie O’Sullivan particularly well, and he doesn’t know me well at all. He turned professional in 1992, and me in 1998.
"Despite having being on the same tour for a long time, we haven’t spent much social time together ever. So I don't really know him.
"You don't really know what is going on in someone's world and their life. So I'm reticent to get too much into it.
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"But I can’t see, while he’s tied with Stephen Hendry on seven world champs, that he won’t keep playing. I just can’t see that.
"But as I well know, they don’t hand world championships out just for turning up.
"He has won seven, and just because you’re Ronnie O’Sullivan, doesn’t mean you’re going to win another one.
"He has of course won seven, so he knows more about it that most."
The 2005 world champion Murphy continued: "I don’t think this is the end.
"I think he's actually doing what he’s said he’ll do all along which is doing it on his terms, playing when he wants, and when he does want to walk away, he’ll do it in the manner in which he decides.
"He’s earned enough money and has been successful enough at snooker to have earned the right to do that."
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