Ronnie O'Sullivan has revealed he plans on taking a break from snooker in the wake of his victory over Ali Carter on Sunday night.
The Rocket looked as though he'd slump to defeat at the Masters after falling 6-3 down at one stage.
Yet O'Sullivan upped the ante to turn the match around, eventually claiming a 10-7 victory.
However, despite adding to his trophy haul, the snooker icon has now revealed he plans on taking a break from the sport as he's 'played-out'.
Ronnie O'Sullivan is planning a break from snooker after his Masters final win over Ali Carter
PA
"I’m a bit played-out, to be honest," he admitted.
"I had such a strong push [from] September [to] December, I really went hard at every tournament.
"It’s hard to keep motivating yourself. It really is. I’m going to take two months off."
O'Sullivan says his break will commence after the World Grand Prix, which is due to commence on Monday.
"I’ll probably just play next week because it’s 32 players, I’ve earned my way to get in that tournament," he added.
"But I’ll just swerve all the other tournaments now.
"I feel like I want a break.
"I’m looking forward to getting on the exhibition circuit, start playing more exhibitions, I enjoy them, they’re a bit of fun.
"Too much intense snooker for me is not good.
"I’ve got a busy March, May, June, July so I don’t want to be fatigued going into that."
O'Sullivan will now miss tournaments such as the Wuhan Open, German Masters, Welsh Open and Players Championship.
But he's expected to be among the challengers when the World Snooker Championship takes place in four months' time.
O'Sullivan also admitted that he's currently unsure if he's got what it takes to win all three of snooker's Triple Crown events in the same season for the first time in his career.
His victory at the Masters came a month after he'd secured an eighth UK Championship.
And O'Sullivan added: "I've never been driven by titles or numbers.
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Ronnie O'Sullivan says he's never been driven by titles after winning the Masters on Sunday evening
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"I just want to play well and enjoy the game.
"If I happen to pick up a few titles, that's a bonus.
"I'm trying to master the game and have never been able to do so, so I will keep trying.
"I always have a good idea in February or March whether my game is good enough to win the Worlds.
"At the moment I'd probably say it's not good enough to be confident.
Ronnie O'Sullivan proved too much for Ali Carter in Sunday's blockbuster Masters final
PA
"I could still win it, but at the moment I feel like I am having to squeeze everything out just to get a result which is hard, but I am a competitor so I will keep fighting."
Meanwhile, snooker icons John Parrott has reacted to O'Sullivan's latest achievement.
Parrot thinks the 48-year-old will be the favourite for the World Championship, saying: "He's going there [to the World Championship] as the favourite, that's for certain.
"It's a bigger test there, it's a lot longer and more draining mentally.
"But if you've won it seven times, you can win it again."
