Snooker legend Stephen Hendry has expressed concern over Ronnie O'Sullivan's tournament participation, stating it would be "a shame" if fans never saw the seven-time world champion compete again.
Speaking on the Snooker Club podcast, Hendry voiced his disappointment about O'Sullivan's recent absences from competitions.
"It's a disappointing one for the fans, for me - I love watching him play," Hendry said.
"It would be a shame if we never see him play again in a tournament."
Stephen Hendry is fearful that Ronnie O'Sullivan may be set to retire
GETTYO'Sullivan, 49, has not competed in a ranking event since the UK Championship in November.
The snooker star has withdrawn from several major tournaments in recent months, including the Masters and German Masters.
Most recently, O'Sullivan pulled out of the Welsh Open on the morning of his opening match.
These withdrawals have raised concerns about his participation in future tournaments, particularly those held in the UK.
O'Sullivan is scheduled to return to action this weekend at the World Open qualifiers in Yushan, China, where he is set to face Stuart Carrington.
Hendry believes O'Sullivan is more likely to participate in overseas events. "I think if it was in the UK, no, I don't think he would play," he said.
"But I think the fact that it is in China, he's got a couple of weeks in China there and then straight to Hong Kong, I think he will.
"Obviously he does like playing in China and obviously he's loved over there," Hendry added.
Hendry speculated that O'Sullivan's competitive drive might be diminishing, suggesting he may prefer less pressured environments.
"I think that the competitive, sort of, juices are maybe not what they are. I think maybe he prefers just playing exhibitions, prefers doing a bit of punditry, and having no sort of expectation of pressure," Hendry said.
The seven-time world champion admitted uncertainty about O'Sullivan's future plans, noting: "Maybe he's just got to that stage in his life where he just doesn't want to put that sort of mental effort into playing in comps."
Ronnie O'Sullivan pulled out of the Welsh Open
GettyO'Sullivan recently addressed his tournament withdrawals in a statement, emphasising his focus on personal wellbeing.
"I've been trying to prioritise my health and wellbeing, which sometimes means making last-minute decisions not to play," O'Sullivan explained.
He apologised to disappointed fans, stating: "It's never an easy decision and I hate letting people down.
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Ronnie O'Sullivan has struggled for consistency this yearPA"I realise plenty of people who bought tickets to some recent snooker events will have been frustrated when I withdrew, so I just wanted to say sorry."
O'Sullivan is set to return to action on Sunday when he's scheduled to face Carrington for a spot in the first round of the World Open.
