Ronnie O'Sullivan has opened up about his relationship with fellow 'Class of 92' stars John Higgins and Mark Williams, stating that he will never consider them close friends. The snooker legend is set to face Higgins in the second round of the World Snooker Championship 2025 at the Crucible Theatre.
O'Sullivan on Friendship with Rivals
Speaking to TNT Sports, O'Sullivan explained: "I think Mark and John are better friends than I am with them. 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."
The seven-time world champion, now 50, insists he rarely speaks to Higgins or Williams away from the table, despite their decades-long rivalry. This weekend's clash marks the 80th meeting between O'Sullivan and Higgins, and the seventh at the Crucible, having previously contested the 2001 final and semi-finals in 1998 and 2022.
Snooker as a Hobby
O'Sullivan, widely regarded as the greatest snooker player of all time, admitted he treats the sport as a pastime rather than a career. "I don't want to talk about snooker, I get bored talking about rankings, about what world snooker is doing. I have zero interest in snooker as far as that's concerned. I choose to separate work from my off time," he said.
The 23-time Triple Crown champion added: "My career is based around [whether] certain things off the table suit me. I'm not going to be turning up playing for ranking points, playing this game for a living, put it that way. I enjoy my life, I like to do stuff away from the table. I play snooker for a hobby, it has to fit into my life, and feel very comfortable for me."
Future Plans
O'Sullivan has indicated he has several more campaigns left as he chases a record-breaking eighth World Championship. However, he also revealed ambitions to explore Chinese 8-Ball Pool and business ventures after retiring from snooker. "If it feels like the juice ain't worth the squeeze, then I probably go into China eight [8-Ball] and just see what I can do with it, if I can get good at it. It'd be a bit of a buzz," he said.
Meanwhile, Mark Williams, 51, has vowed to play at the Crucible until at least age 55, while O'Sullivan's focus remains on enjoying the sport on his own terms. "I'd like to see myself involved in a team of some sort. I don't want to be doing something on my own in the second phase of my career, I find it's really hard being on your own. I'd like to be involved in a team, with a business or something where you're all kind of pulling your weight," O'Sullivan concluded.
