Ronnie O'Sullivan has announced plans to leave the UK for the Middle East following his World Snooker Championship semi-final defeat.
The seven-time world champion revealed his intention to start "a new life somewhere else" after crashing out of the tournament.
O'Sullivan, 49, suffered a heavy 17-7 loss to China's Zhao Xintong in Sheffield on Friday.
The snooker legend's future in the sport now appears uncertain as he prepares for this significant life change.
Ronnie O'Sullivan has promised to leave United Kingdom and 'start a new life' after his World Championship exit
Reuters
O'Sullivan's bid for a record eighth Crucible crown ended abruptly with a session to spare.
Zhao dominated the semi-final, winning all eight frames in the morning session before finishing the job in the evening.
The comprehensive defeat marked a disappointing end to O'Sullivan's tournament, which had shown promise after victories over Ali Carter, Pang Junxu and Si Jiahui.
Zhao, a former UK champion, outplayed his idol to reach the World Championship final.
The Chinese star's commanding performance left the Rocket with no answers.
O'Sullivan had been absent from the professional tour since January when he withdrew from his Championship League group.
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His frustration was evident when he snapped his cue after losing four of his five matches in that tournament.
Equipment issues continued to plague him during the World Championship, where he struggled with his new cue.
He went through three tips in total and changed both his tip and ferrule after the first session of his semi-final against Zhao.
Despite these challenges, O'Sullivan managed to reach the last four of the tournament.
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Ronnie O'Sullivan suffered heartbreak in the semi-final and spoke frankly about his future
Reuters
Following his exit, O'Sullivan spoke candidly about his uncertain future in snooker.
"I think I'm going to be moving out of the UK this year. A new life somewhere else," he said.
"I'll still try and play snooker but I don't know what the future looks like for me really."
The Essex-based player acknowledged the sport's importance to him whilst indicating other priorities.
"There's a lot of more important things in life to worry about than a game of snooker," O'Sullivan added.
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"For me, it's a big part of my life but I've got to try and figure out what my future looks like, whether it's playing or not."
O'Sullivan confirmed his destination would be the Middle East, where he already has a snooker academy in Saudi Arabia.
"I'll be moving away to the Middle East but we'll see how it goes. I might be back in six months, who knows!" he said.
The Rocket hinted at significant life changes ahead but remained vague about specifics.
When asked if he might throw his cue away in frustration, O'Sullivan replied: "I won't throw it. The merchandise people want it so it'll be up for sale. But I won't be throwing it."
