Ronnie O’Sullivan in contrast his appearances on the World Snooker Tour to “paid observe” after reaching the Gamers Championship quarter-finals on Tuesday.
The world primary wasn’t fairly at his finest however nonetheless compiled breaks of 136, 73, and 62 to beat Zhou Yuelong 6-2 in Telford.
O’Sullivan has received 4 tournaments throughout a prolific 2023/24 snooker season, together with each the UK Championship and the distinguished Masters.
The Rocket has additionally opted to skip nearly all of smaller occasions on the calendar, a tactic Judd Trump equally employed eventually week’s Welsh Open in Llandudno.
However O’Sullivan, who has cited numerous well being causes for his withdrawals this time period, doesn’t suppose that limiting his taking part in time has something to do together with his continued success.
“I’ve been doing that each one my profession, in order that’s probably not the explanation why. There’s different explanation why,” Ronnie O’Sullivan advised ITV Sport.
“I’ve simply come right here to try to get a little bit of match observe. I’ll try to take what I can out of it.”
“I’ll ensure I’m sharp for once I’m doing my different bits and items – like, that is all icing on the cake for me, no matter I get off this tour.
“I’ve bought my exhibitions, I’ve bought my ambassador work. That’s my primary factor, and I simply slot in just a few tournaments round that.
“I’m contracted to play in sure tournaments, so I’ll play in them. Clearly, my ambassadors need me to play in them, in order that’s tremendous. I’ll undoubtedly go for them, and the remaining is all up for grabs.
“I really like the followers, that’s a very powerful factor to me.
“So long as the followers nonetheless wish to see me play and are available and watch me, and so they nonetheless really feel like I can provide worth for cash, that’s a very powerful factor.
“However for me, it’s only a day trip actually. I simply take pleasure in getting away from residence, reserving in my AirBnB, doing my gymnasium, doing my working.
“Then match just a few frames of snooker in, it’s only a little bit of paid observe actually.”
Elsewhere on day two on the Gamers Championship, Mark Allen produced a tremendous efficiency to beat Mark Williams 6-3 and attain the final eight.
The Northern Irishman started the competition in lightning style, compiling a complete clearance of 146 and two extra century breaks to guide 3-0.
Williams fought his approach again into the competition to path by just one, earlier than Allen took the ultimate two frames with contributions of 70 and 68.
The Pistol will face Gary Wilson subsequent after final week’s Welsh Open champion emerged from a good affair with Hossein Vafaei.
Ali Carter, in the meantime, additionally progressed from the primary spherical with a 6-2 defeat of Tom Ford.
On Wednesday afternoon, the remaining couple of matches from the final 16 happen with Mark Selby in motion towards Barry Hawkins and Zhang Anda entertaining Noppon Saengkham.
The quarter-finals will begin within the night, with Carter again on the desk towards pre-tournament favorite Trump.
2024 Gamers Championship draw
Spherical of 16 (bo11)
Occasions in UTC
Judd Trump 6-2 Chris Wakelin
Tom Ford 2-6 Ali Carter
Mark Williams 3-6 Mark Allen
Gary Wilson 6-4 Hossein Vafaei
Zhang Anda vs Noppon Saengkham
(Wed, 1pm)
Ding Junhui 4-6 John Higgins
Barry Hawkins 3-6 Mark Selby
Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-2 Zhou Yuelong
Quarter-Finals (bo11)
Matches to be performed from Wednesday night to Friday afternoon.
Occasions in UTC
Judd Trump vs Ali Carter
(Wed, 7pm)
Mark Allen vs Gary Wilson
(Thurs, 1pm)
Zhang/Saengkham vs John Higgins
(Fri, 1pm)
Mark Selby vs Ronnie O’Sullivan
(Thurs, 7pm)
Semi-Finals (bo11)
Matches to be performed on Friday night and Saturday night.
Schedule to be confirmed.
TBC vs TBC
TBC vs TBC
Ultimate (bo19)
Match to be performed on Sunday at 1pm and 7pm.
TBC vs TBC
Featured photograph credit score: WST