Ronnie O’Sullivan to make rare Hong Kong appearance, but plans little snooker in 2026
Mercurial Englishman will compete in the World Grand Prix event at Kai Tak Arena for the first time this week
Ronnie O’Sullivan will make a rare competitive appearance in Hong Kong this week at the World Grand Prix, but how much more snooker he plays this season entirely depends on whether he feels like it.
The Englishman is well-known for his mercurial approach to the game, and having skipped last year’s tournament at Kai Tak Arena, this will be his first official outing in the city since taking up Hong Kong residency in 2024.
Fans might even consider themselves lucky, with the seven-time world champion saying he only had one of two more events in his diary for the rest of the year.
“I’ll maybe play in Yushan, China [for the World Open], and then maybe just the World Championships,” said O’Sullivan, who lost in the first round of the German Masters last week. “But nothing is for sure, you never know.”
The 50-year-old has only played sparingly this season, competing in just five ranking events, and lost in the first round of the UK Championship, while having more luck in Asia.
“I don’t have a problem with the UK, I don’t have a problem with anywhere,” he said. “It’s just if I feel like playing, I’ll play.