Ronnie O’Sullivan felt a career as a footballer could have helped him avoid the ‘horrible’ emotional rollercoaster of snooker.
The seven-time world champion has been open about his mental health struggles in recent years and withdrew from nine tournaments over the course of the 2024/25 season for medical reasons.
Five of those tournaments were ranking events.
But he returned to the baize in time for this year’s World Snooker Championship in pursuit of a record-breaking eighth world title.
O’Sullivan got his campaign off to a bright start with a 10-4 win over long-time rival Ali Carter in the first round.
However, speaking to Scottish football legend Ally McCoist on TNT Sports, O’Sullivan conceded it was not as smooth a victory as it may have appeared on the surface.
“I really enjoy being out there playing, and I love doing a bit of TV work with the lads,” O’Sullivan said.
“It just breaks it up a bit.
“But during my last match, I felt a bit edgy. While I was playing it was fine.
“I went home and then I thought, ‘Oh, the anxiety is kicking off.’
“The next day, I felt a lot better and calmer.
“It’s a killer of a sport. A horrible sport. It’s evil.”
O’Sullivan added: “I can’t switch off, no.
“It’s with you all the time. Even when I’m at home practising.
“If I’ve had a dodgy day, I go home and I’m sitting there and I’m like quiet, moody.
“Sort of like in my own head and the missus is looking at me, thinking, ‘Come on, liven up.’
“I say snooker’s like chess with balls. It’s one of them sports.
“You see chess players. There’s a lot going on in their heads.
“But with footballers, you just have a laugh and a joke.
“I envy it. I wish I could have been a footballer. They look like you’re having a great time.”
O’Sullivan will look to keep his bid intact for an unprecedented eighth world title when he takes on China’s Pang Junxu in the second round.
