Ronnie O'Sullivan has withdrawn from the British Open over medical concerns, the World Snooker Tour (WST) has confirmed.
Although the nature of the seven-time World Snooker Champion's health concerns remains unclear, it marks the second time Mr O'Sullivan has withdrawn from a championship on medical grounds in under a month.
At the end of August, it was announced the 49-year-old had withdrawn from the Wuhan Open.
The withdrawal from the British Open means Mr O'Sullivan hasn't competed since his 10-9 defeat in the Saudi Arabia Masters final on 16 August against Neil Robertson.
The Rocket performed tremendously throughout the tournament, however, achieving a maximum 147 break twice during his 6-3 victory over Chris Wakelin in the semi-finals.
O'Sullivan had been scheduled to face Sanderson Lam in the opening round on Monday, September 22, at 7pm, confirmed via an official statement.
Daniel Womersley, the highest-ranked player from the 2025 Q School list, will take The Rocket's place in the draw.
O'Sullivan's absence marks another concerning withdrawal for the seven-time champion.
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Medical issues have forced Ronnie O'Sullivan to withdraw from the upcoming British Open, the World Snooker Tour confirmed on Tuesday
| PAHe missed Wuhan Open just days after his disappointment in Saudi, as well as the German Masters and Welsh Open in recent months.
Despite his health-related absence, O'Sullivan shared footage of himself engaged in physical training on Monday.
Accompanying the post was a message emphasising his commitment to fitness: "Exercise is so important to me.
"Not just for the body, but for my mindset too."
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Ronnie O'Sullivan has not played a competitive match since his final defeat against Neil Robertson in the Saudi Arabian Masters
| GETTY
Ronnie O'Sullivan was due to face Sanderson Lam in the first round
|GETTY
The timing of the social media post, just a day before the WST's announcement of his withdrawal, suggests O'Sullivan remains focused on maintaining his physical condition whilst dealing with undisclosed medical issues.
In February, O'Sullivan acknowledged that safeguarding his health and wellbeing had led to several last-minute tournament withdrawals.
"I've been trying to prioritise my health and wellbeing, which sometimes means making last-minute decisions not to play," he stated at the time.
"It's never an easy decision and I hate letting people down.
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"I realise plenty of people who bought tickets to some recent snooker events will have been frustrated when I withdrew, so I just wanted to say sorry.
"I'm doing what I can to get back to my best, and I'm grateful for all your support and understanding.
"It's never an easy decision and I hate letting people down.
"I'm doing what I can to get back to my best, and I'm grateful for all your support and understanding."
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