Ronnie O'Sullivan has revealed he will take two years to decide on his snooker future amid uncertainty whether he'll play at this year's World Championship.
The Rocket is yet to confirm whether he'll take part in the competition, having not played since January.
O'Sullivan has etched his name into the snooker history books, with the Briton widely considered to be one of the best players to ever grace the game.
However, he's struggled for consistency in recent months and continues to battle some mental health demons, too.
Ronnie O'Sullivan has revealed he will take two years to decide on his snooker future amid uncertainty whether he'll play at this year's World Championship
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Now, speaking to the Daily Mail, O'Sullivan has opened up.
He says he will take two years to decide on whether to keep playing or not, with the serial winner stating: “I’m not quitting just yet, but I will give myself two years to try and figure it out.
“I don’t want to finish my career feeling like I wasn’t really performing to the level that I know I can.
“I don’t have to win tournaments, but I just want to feel like I’m enjoying the game. I’d like to go out with a smile on my face.”
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O'Sullivan did, however, tragically admit that he doesn't think he's got what it takes to bounce back at the current moment in time.
He even describes himself as 'damaged goods'.
O'Sullivan added: “I have to try and repair myself and just try and find how I used to play snooker.
"It’s a massive rebuilding process and probably the last one I’ll ever have to do as a snooker player.
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Ronnie O'Sullivan says he feels like he's 'damaged goods' amid uncertainty whether he'll play at the World Snooker Championship
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“Do I think I can do it? Probably not if I’m being honest.
“I think it’s probably a bit too late in my career and I’m probably damaged goods in the form of a snooker player. You take a lot of battle scars over the years.
"But I’m not prepared to quit at this point because I feel like I would be quitting on a bit of a low.”
O'Sullivan has spoken candidly in the past on the toll that playing snooker has taken on him.
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He's now admitted that he wouldn't want his children to be snooker players due to his own experiences.
The 49-year-old said: "You get one life and you should choose something that doesn’t tug at your heartstrings quite as much.
"That’s what snooker has done to me. I wouldn’t want anyone that I care about to go through what I went through.
"From the age of 12 to 16, I loved the game. If that had continued through my career, I’d say to my kids, 'Yeah, go and play snooker, it’s been amazing'.
Ronnie O'Sullivan says he wouldn't want his children to be snooker players
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"But I’ve had a lot of problems from 17 up until now and it takes its toll on you. It starts to sap away at your happiness.
"Most people who live in the real world probably have four or five different jobs in their career.
"But as a sportsman, you only get one, so you have to stick with it whether it's good or bad.
"You have got to stay in it until you decide that it's not working for you."
