has banked hundreds of thousands since deciding to not retire again in 2011, by which level he suspected his snooker profession could also be over. The Rocket's second wind has seen him construct a formidable pot of profession prize cash, helped by the three world titles gained since his essential retirement name.
The seven-time world champion lately admitted that he nearly walked away from snooker again in 2012. Then 35 years previous, he cited the respective declines of fellow snooker icons Stephen Hendry and Steve Davis as his supply of concern.
"I assumed you have been meant to be executed and dusted at that age," he added, chatting with . "However then I simply acquired higher. I met Steve Peters and acquired my head proper as a result of I didn’t have a head earlier than that.
"It was all pot a ball if I felt prefer it, if I didn’t, then nice, go house and get out of there. And from there I began profitable extra, and I've been extra profitable in these final 10 years."
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O'Sullivan shall be thanking his fortunate stars that he determined to stay round. Since 2012, he has earned in prize cash from snooker alone, together with almost £1m in annually between 2018 and 2020.
These windfalls, which have been helped by world title triumphs in 2013, 2020 and 2022, have contributed to O'Sullivan's total estimated web price of . The Rocket turned skilled on the age of 16 and has since gained an unmatched 21 Triple Crown titles.
His haul of seven World Snooker Championship wins places him stage with Hendry on the prime of the all-time charts within the trendy period. The 47-year-old fell brief on the Crucible this yr, nevertheless, as he misplaced to eventual winner Luca Brecel.
"He performed unbelievable," O'Sullivan advised Sport after his 13-10 defeat to the Belgian. "He is such participant, I really like watching him play. His cue motion, he will get by way of the ball so properly. It is unimaginable. The whip he will get on the white, the highest spin, the thud he hits the ball with.
"He is such a dynamic participant, most likely probably the most gifted snooker participant I've ever seen. I might like to see him go and win it as a result of that is how snooker must be performed. He is an outstanding expertise and participant."
This week, the Rocket claimed that he plans to forego UK tournaments to focus on enjoying in Asia, telling : "I can’t do all of it. Earlier than I used to say: ‘I gained’t journey, I’ll keep within the UK,’ which was candy, however now I feel at this stage of my profession, clearly Asia’s a giant place to play, larger tournaments, so I’ll do them and miss the UK ones."