Ronnie O’Sullivan told to stay away as Judd Trump pulls no punches in brutal assessment | Other | Sport
Judd Trump has urged Ronnie O’Sullivan to stay away from snooker until he’s in the right frame of mind to return, suggesting the seven-time world champion is now more vulnerable than in his peak years. O’Sullivan has been relatively inactive over the course of this season, having skipped the Players Championship before choosing not to enter the ongoing Welsh Open.
The latter tournament marks the 10th professional UK event that O’Sullivan has either withdrawn from or not entered this season, including the Masters and the Champion of Champions. He has been seeking a quieter life since leaving the UK and relocating to Dubai with his wife, Laila Rouass. It has been widely seen as a key reason why the 50-year-old has decided to skip many British events over the last few months.
Quizzed on O’Sullivan’s choices and recent performances, Trump claimed that his absence makes no difference to other players and urged The Rocket not to return until he is ready to ‘put the work in’.
“To be honest I don’t even think about it, no,” said Trump, speaking to SportsBoom. “It’s not until you mentioned it that I realised that he’s not here.
“He’s an amazing player, but the way’s he’s been playing recently, it’s been quite poor. I think it’s better for him to take that time out and [return] when he is willing to put the work in.”
Trump went on to suggest that O’Sullivan’s fellow Class of 92 member John Higgins has a stronger mentality, which is why he’s been able to stay competitive despite having a busier schedule.
“The more you get older and the less he plays, the less sharp he’s going to be and it’s just going to get harder and harder,” added the Bristol native.
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“It’s going to be difficult for him now. I think John’s mentality is a little bit different from him. He’s willing to put the work in and that’s why he’s probably got that little bit more consistency.
“You know, Ronnie can turn on it any point, but I think he’s a little bit more vulnerable. He used to be invincible against some players, he’d only have to turn up and they’d kind of crumble, wouldn’t they?
“And now it just doesn’t seem like that kind of happens as much. People are a lot more comfortable playing him. I’m sure there’s gonna be one tournament in the next year or two. He’s going to be unbelievable. He’s still capable of amazing things.”
Trump also pointed to O’Sullivan’s cue struggles, suggesting he has yet to find the right equipment to return to his former heights.
“I think he’s still struggling with his cue as well,” he said. “I don’t think he’s found the right cue from what I’ve seen when we play. The mistakes he makes, he never made with his old cue, never.”
