Matchroom president Barry Hearn has had his say on Ronnie O’Sullivan’s decision to not participate in The Masters this month after ‘The Rocket’ pulled out on medical grounds
Ronnie O’Sullivan pulled out of The Masters on medical grounds(Image: GettyImages)
Barry Hearn has defended Ronnie O’Sullivan after ‘The Rocket’ pulled out of The Masters and told snookers’ other stars to “step up” in his absence.
O’Sullivan, an eight-time Masters champion, withdrew from the iconic tournament just two days before it got underway on medical grounds. He has pulled out of a number of tournaments over the past 12 months but had been expected to participate at the event in London.
Hearn, though, has rebuked suggestions that O’Sullivan is ‘money-motivated’ and told the sport’s other stars that its on them to entertain fans when the 50-year-old is unavailable.
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“I’m not sure Ronnie is that money-motivated, I think that’s probably a little bit unfair on Ronnie,” the Matchroom chief told the BBC’s Framed podcast.
“He plays when he wants to play. Ronnie sets very high standards. Ronnie is a genius, a one-off player that we won’t see again probably in our life time. Every time I say that somebody pops up and does better. I hope that’s the case in snooker, he will be replaced one day.
“At the moment he plays when he can and when he wants to and I think he’s earned that right to make that decision.
“From the fans’ perspective I understand it’s disappointing when he’s not there but it’s his choice to be there or not be there and I don’t ever want to take that choice away from a player. If he doesn’t feel mentally right to play, I don’t want him to play, I want him to do the best for himself.”
O’Sullivan’s star power means fans are understandably disappointed when he doesn’t play. And Hearn once again reiterated that it’s now down to somebody else to emerge from O’Sullivan’s shadow.
He continued: “The fans have got to understand that and the players that are left have got to understand the responsibility they have to replace the great man. This sport needs a Ronnie O’Sullivan and actually it needs three or four Ronnie O’Sullivans.
“I’ve got a feeling we may be seeing them, but whether they’re English, Welsh, Scottish or Chinese is something we’ll have to watch this space to see.
“But we must remember the benefit Ronnie’s been to snooker over the years has been enormous. For that reason we will miss him when he doesn’t play and we hope that there’s more games left in him yet. But that’s a selfish hope, my biggest hope is that whatever Ronnie O’Sullivan does he’s happy.”
