Ronnie O'Sullivan has promised to step up his tournament schedule next season after a notably quiet campaign on the baize.
The Rocket competed in just 10 out of 22 events during the 2025-26 season, and that limited action has seen him drop to 14th in the world rankings.
It's a significant slide for the seven-time world champion, who turns 51 later this year and has been a professional for 34 years.
Speaking to SunSport in Reading following his appearance at the Global Snooker 900 Championship, O'Sullivan said: "I'm going to hopefully play more tournaments next year."
Ronnie O'Sullivan has pledged to play more tournaments to bolster his ranking
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Falling outside the top 16 would create real headaches for O'Sullivan, most notably forcing him to qualify for the World Championship rather than receiving automatic entry.
But the snooker legend isn't losing sleep over that prospect.
"I think I'll be alright with the world ranking," he said. "If I play alright, if I play to my standard and play enough tournaments, I should be alright."
O'Sullivan admitted he'd been struggling for a while and simply didn't fancy competing, but things are looking up.
"I feel like I'm cueing alright now," he explained. "I feel like I've got a good foundation and nearer to finding something that's good enough to win a tournament."
Ronnie O'Sullivan has had a difficult year after seeing his ranking plummet
| PAO'Sullivan has been splitting his time between the UK and homes in Dubai and Ireland, which partly explains his reduced presence on the circuit.
His plan for next season involves a more focused approach to scheduling.
"So maybe play like four events in the UK, including the World Championship," he said. "Plus all the China and Germany events. Just focus on playing more tournaments next year."
The 50-year-old acknowledged the current state of the game makes it tougher than ever.
"It's not easy now. Obviously there's a lot of really good players. You've got to really be on it," he admitted. "Rankings never lie. I am where I am."
O'Sullivan also had some choice words about the marathon frames witnessed at this year's World Championship.
Ronnie O'Sullivan has been candid in recent interviews over his state of mind
| WSTThe semi-final between eventual champion Wu Yize and Mark Allen featured a frame lasting 100 minutes, which left the Rocket unimpressed.
"A 100-minute frame? Oh, yeah, that's awful. I wouldn't get involved in that," he scoffed. "I'd have opened them up and said, you can have that one, just get on with the next one."
He's a big fan of faster formats like the Snooker 900, which features a 20-shot clock and 15-minute frame limits.
"It keeps the tempo going. It makes you think on your feet. I really like it," he said.