Ronnie O'Sullivan pulls out of another tournament for worrying reason days after Masters withdrawal
WATCH NOW: Paul Coyte discusses the latest sport headlines January 22 2025
Ronnie O'Sullivan has withdrawn from next week's German Masters due to medical reasons, marking his second tournament withdrawal this month.
The seven-time world champion had previously pulled out of the Masters at Alexandra Palace in January.
It remains unclear when the 49-year-old snooker legend will return to competitive action.
The withdrawal follows a period of apparent exhaustion for O'Sullivan after completing a three-week exhibition tour in Asia.
Ronnie O'Sullivan has pulled out of another snooker tournament
Reuters
A World Snooker Tour statement confirmed: "Ronnie O'Sullivan has withdrawn from next week's Machineseeker German Masters due to medical reasons."
O'Sullivan was scheduled to face Dylan Emery in his opening match in Berlin.
Following O'Sullivan's withdrawal, Emery has received a bye to the last 32 of the tournament.
The withdrawal comes after concerning behaviour during a recent match against Robert Milkins in Leicester.
O'Sullivan smashed his cue on the table after missing a simple pot during the 3-2 contest, though he swiftly apologised to both referee and opponent.
During the same match, O'Sullivan appeared to make a lewd gesture, spreading his legs and moving his cue back and forth at his waist while sticking out his tongue.
The incident occurred during the Champions League event, from which he later withdrew before his final group game.
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Ronnie O'Sullivan has had a tough start to the year
PA
Speaking about his Masters withdrawal earlier this month, O'Sullivan explained: "I've obviously been on this three-week trip (playing exhibition events in Asia), away playing, and I think I just exhausted myself."
"(There was) a lot of pressure while I was away and the build-up of all that kind of got too much," he added.
"I lost the plot on Thursday and snapped my cue so that's unplayable, so I just knew at that moment in time, the right decision was not to play."
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Ronnie O'Sullivan has made a worrying pattern in recent weeks
PA
O'Sullivan's tournament withdrawals have become a pattern in recent seasons.
He missed last season's German Masters to prioritise his "health and wellbeing" and pulled out of the Welsh Open citing anxiety.
More recently, he withdrew from the Scottish Open just one day before his scheduled match.
His absence from tournaments this season has also included the British Open, Wuhan Open and Northern Ireland Open.
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