Ronnie O'Sullivan says he's not 'close' with Class of 92 rivals John Higgins and Mark Williams - 'I have zero interest in snooker'
Published 22/04/2026 at 21:18 GMT+1
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Former snooker No. 1 Ronnie O'Sullivan has said that he has "zero interest" in snooker away from competitions - and keeps his personal life away from peers John Higgins and Mark Williams.
'I don't really get close to anyone' - O'Sullivan has 'zero interest' in talking about snooker
Video credit: TNT Sports
O’Sullivan is widely considered the greatest player in the sport’s history, with Alex Higgins, Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry also among the all-time greats. Williams and John Higgins are both multiple Triple Crown winners and former world No. 1s.
All three are at this year’s World Championship, and O’Sullivan will face Higgins on Saturday evening at the Crucible, live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.
Williams’ next match is on Friday, against Barry Hawkins.
O'Sullivan was comfortable when he won his first-round match earlier in the tournament. He beat China's He Guoqiang 10-2, with three century breaks and six half-centuries on his way to the win, but revealed that he had to use two cues.
The Rocket has often spoken of his dissatisfaction with life on the professional snooker circuit, and, in recent years, he has missed out on several high-profile tournaments.
The 50-year-old is also no longer a resident of the UK, and is now based in Dubai, and also spends time in Ireland.
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O'Sullivan lays out retirement plans, now treats snooker as 'a hobby'
Video credit: TNT Sports
While he often returns to Britain because of his career obligations, he is sometimes seen as an outsider figure, and instead of forging close relationships with many of his peers, he counts other prominent figures such as artist Damien Hirst as his friends.
Speaking to TNT Sports, O’Sullivan explained his position, saying that Williams and Higgins are probably closer to one another than they are to him.
"I think Mark and John are better friends than I am with them," he explained.
"I don’t really get close to anyone on the snooker circuit, because I don’t really hang around tournaments, no one sees me, I’d rather be down the gym or go running, or go to nice restaurants, while a lot of the players hang out with each other."
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O’Sullivan then professed that his interest in snooker was now a matter of work, rather than because it was an inherent interest of his.
He continued: ”I don’t want to talk about snooker, I get bored talking about rankings, about what world snooker is doing.Â
”I have zero interest in snooker as far as that’s concerned. I choose to separate work from my off time.”
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O'Sullivan v Higgins will be 'one of the biggest occasions in the history of the sport'
Video credit: TNT Sports
O’Sullivan is a seven-time world champion, a record he holds with Hendry. He also holds 23 Triple Crown titles, which is a record he shares with no other player in the sport’s history.
A win at this current tournament would leave O'Sullivan out in front. He would be four ahead of Mark Selby, who boasts four of the titles and is perhaps the most likely to challenge for the achievement in the coming years.
Williams has seven Triple Crown titles - three world championships, two UK championships, and two Masters.
Higgins has nine of the titles, split between four world championships, three UK championships, and also holds two Masters titles.
You can watch every day of the 2026 World Snooker Championship live on TNT Sports. It is available both live and on-demand on HBO Max.
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