Ronnie O’Sullivan outlines ambitious plan for after he retires from snooker

Ronnie O’Sullivan is not finished with snooker yet, but when he is he intends to conquer the world of pool as well.

The Rocket turns 50 in December but is still ranked number five in the world and reached the semi-final of this year’s World Championship.

He may not have been anywhere near his brilliant best at the Crucible but still making the final four showed what he’s still got in his locker even when he’s not in form.

The seven-time world champion has not been happy with his game for some time but said he intends to play for at least another two years in an attempt to rediscover some form and enjoyment.

After that, if snooker is not floating his boat anymore, he intends to switch sports and have a crack at Chinese eight-ball pool.

The smaller table game is growing in popularity in China – and further afield – with the biggest events boasting enormous prize funds.

The World Heyball Masters in May saw champion Niu Zhuang pocket $5 million Chinese Yuan (£518,000), more than the £500,000 Zhao Xintong won for winning the World Snooker Championship earlier in the same month.

The Rocket wants a piece of the action after he hangs up his snooker cue, in fact he wants to become the best in the world at the discipline.

‘Chinese eight-ball is very, very popular now in China,’ O’Sullivan said, via the South China Morning Post at the opening of a new snooker club in Hong Kong, JJ8 Club.

‘Many players play in big tournaments in China, and for someone like me, when I finish playing snooker, then I will play Chinese eight-ball.

‘It’s a big sport in Asia, especially China, so when I retire from snooker, I want to become world champion in Chinese eight-ball.’

O’Sullivan is in Hong Kong ahead of the Shanghai Masters starting on Monday, a tournament he has enjoyed incredible success in, winning it five times.

He is sounding motivated and ready to compete again after missing a string of events last season ahead of the World Championship.

‘My whole life I’ve been preparing to be the best I can be, so obviously you have to practice and keep sharp, but I’m ready all the time,’ he said via RTHK.

‘I work very hard to become the king of snooker, but there’s many, many, very, very good players. Zhao Xintong, world champion, fantastic player.

‘I like to still be able to compete with these young guys who are very, very good. I feel blessed.’

O’Sullivan will play for the first time since losing to Zhao Xintong in the Crucible semi-finals in his opening round game in Shanghai.

He will face either Barry Hawkins or Wu Yize in the last 16, getting his season underway with a tough match either way.

Trump beat the Rocket in last year’s semi-finals and went on to lift the trophy after downing Shaun Murphy in the showpiece.

The Shanghai Masters will be shown on TNT Sports and Discovery+ in the UK.