Ronnie O’Sullivan has withdrawn from the 2025 Masters snooker tournament on medical grounds, just two days before the event is due to begin at Alexandra Palace in London. The seven-time world champion, who turned 50 last month, was scheduled to face Australia’s Neil Robertson in the first round on Wednesday, January 14.
World Snooker confirmed that Chris Wakelin, who was the 17th seed at the cut-off point, will replace O’Sullivan in the draw. The tournament runs from January 11 to 18. O’Sullivan had previously pulled out of the 2024 Masters for similar reasons, despite having won the event a record-extending eighth time in 2024.
O’Sullivan has missed several tournaments this season, including the Wuhan Open and the British Open, citing medical reasons or the need to prioritise his mental health. He last competed before Christmas at the UK Championship, where he was eliminated in the first round by Zhou Yuelong.
The exact nature of O’Sullivan’s medical condition has not been disclosed. In recent months, he had given contradictory statements about his participation, telling TalkSport in September he probably would not play, but later telling The Sun in November he would play “if I can”, citing his move to Dubai as a factor in his tournament selection.
