Ronnie O’Sullivan faces a race against time on Monday to make the first match of his home English Open tournament in Essex. The world No 1 has been having treatment in Spain this week for a tennis elbow injury that flared up during his recent Shanghai Masters victory in China.
And from there the Rocket, a record seven-times world champion, will be jetting off to Macau to play in a lucrative exhibition against veteran pal Jimmy White. But O’Sullivan is not due to arrive back via Hong Kong until early Monday morning, just a few hours before he is due on table at 1pm to face Andrew Pagett in Brentwood.
O’Sullivan, 47, has made no secret of the fact he will be spending as much time as possible in China in the next couple of years, where he regularly receives six-figure sums as appearance money. He has already withdrawn on medical grounds for two events this season – the European Masters in Germany, and then this week’s British Open in Cheltenham.
But unless there are further medical issues or problems with delayed or cancelled flights, O’Sullivan is still planning to appear near his home in front of many of his most devoted fans.
O’Sullivan said: “I am arriving back Monday morning flying from Hong Kong to Heathrow and landing about 7am. And then I am due to be playing a match at 1pm in Brentwood.
“So listen, I’ll turn up and give it a go and see how we get on although clearly that isn’t ideal.” He is due to return to resort city for the big-money Macau Masters starting on Christmas Day at the five-star Wynn Palace Hotel, along with Judd Trump, Mark Willliams and Ding Junhui.
O’Sullivan is also living a charmed life at No1 in the rankings. For the second time this season at the British Open this week his withdrawal left the door open for either world champion Luca Brecel or Mark Allen to topple him at the summit.
