Ronnie O'Sullivan may miss the Champions Championship: what is known about the reasons.

Ronnie O'Sullivan may miss the Champions Championship

According to The Sun: Ronnie O'Sullivan, a renowned snooker player, has stated that he is likely to miss the Champions Championship, which starts on November 10 at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester.

This tournament, established in 2013, gathers winners from the previous year. O'Sullivan, a 49-year-old player, is one of the most notable absentees from this competition.

He has won the Champions Championship title in 2013, 2014, 2018, and 2022, but has not won any trophies since his victory at the World Snooker Masters in March 2024.

Typically, if there are not enough champions to fill the 16-player field, players from the rankings are invited. O'Sullivan, who is currently ranked 4th in the world, has a chance of receiving an invitation; however, it is believed that other winners of the previous Champions Championship may also be considered.

• Mark Allen, who won the snooker championship in Riyadh in December;
• Bai Yulu and Alfie Burden for their successes at the women's and seniors' World Championships, respectively.

The tournament winner will receive a substantial prize of £150,000 from a total prize fund of £440,000.

O'Sullivan recently withdrew from the Wuhan Open for medical reasons. However, he has stated that he currently does not plan to retire and will announce it when he makes such a decision.

If O'Sullivan returns to play, he still has the opportunity to receive an invitation to the Champions Championship if he can achieve success at the British or Northern Ireland Open in October. Another chance will be the International Championship scheduled for November 2.

Preliminary lineup for the 2025 Champions Championship

Expected invitations for the tournament

1. Mark Williams - title holder 2. Zhao Xintong - world champion 3. Judd Trump - UK champion 4. Shaun Murphy - Masters champion 5. Neil Robertson - champion of Saudi Arabia, World Grand Prix 6. John Higgins - Tour Championship, World Open champion 7. Mark Selby - champion of the Chukki League, Welsh Open 8. Stephen Maguire - champion of the Chukki League 9. Kiren Wilson - German Masters, Players Championship, Shanghai Masters 10. Lei Peifan - Scottish Open 11. Xiao Guodong - Wuhan Open

The Champions Championship always attracts the attention of many snooker fans, as it features the best of the best competing. Whether O'Sullivan can regain his strength and return to this prestigious tournament will be known soon. So stay tuned for updates, as any change in the lineup of participants can significantly influence the course of the competition.