Medical issues have forced Ronnie O'Sullivan to pull out of the Wuhan Open, with tournament organisers confirming his absence from the ranking event.
The 49-year-old was scheduled to compete against Allan Taylor this Sunday at the Optics Valley Gymnasium.
Turkish player Umut Dikme, who tops the Q School rankings, will take O'Sullivan's place in the opening round match. World Snooker Tour officials cited medical grounds as the reason for the withdrawal.
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"Ronnie O'Sullivan has pulled out of next week's Wuhan Open in China for medical reasons," an official statement from the Wuhan Open read on their website.
The Wuhan Open confirmed that Ronnie O'Sullivan has pulled out of the event due to medical reasons
|PA
The Rocket's absence means he will miss the chance to compete for the £140,000 winner's prize in the tournament that runs until August 30.
O'Sullivan has faced recurring medical challenges throughout 2025, having previously withdrawn from several competitions including the World Grand Prix and Masters before returning for April's World Championship.
This marks his second consecutive withdrawal from the Wuhan Open, having also missed last year's tournament for health-related reasons.
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Xiao Guodong won the Wuhan Open last year in his native China
|GETTY
In 2023, he reached the quarter-finals of the inaugural Wuhan Open, which Judd Trump won by defeating Ali Carter. Last year's October edition saw Chinese player Xiao Guodong claim his maiden ranking title.
The Rocket's next scheduled appearance is at the British Open on September 22, where he faces Sanderson Lam in the opening round.
This withdrawal follows just days after O'Sullivan's narrow defeat in Saturday's Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters final, where Neil Robertson triumphed 10-9 in a thrilling contest in Jeddah.
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Despite the loss, O'Sullivan secured substantial earnings of £380,333 from the tournament.
His impressive payday included £200,000 as runner-up, plus £147,000 in bonuses for achieving two maximum breaks during the competition, and an additional £33,333 as his share of the highest break prize.
Astonishingly, the Rocket achieved two 147s during his 6-3 semi-final victory over Chris Wakelin.
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Ronnie O'Sullivan took the loss on the chin as he congratulated Neil Robertson on a remarkable victory | GETTYThe strong performance in Saudi Arabia has significantly improved O'Sullivan's ranking position, lifting him to fourth globally after beginning the season with concerns about potentially dropping outside the top 16.
His substantial earnings in Jeddah have also elevated him to seventh place in the Race to the Crucible standings.
This financial boost has eased any pressure to compete in multiple events to maintain his ranking position ahead of the World Championship.
The runner-up finish ensures he won't face the prospect of qualifying rounds at the Crucible, a scenario that had seemed possible earlier in the season.