Ronnie O'Sullivan withdrawal from 2026 Masters surprises Jimmy White - 'His game was in good shape'
By Alex Livie
Published 12/01/2026 at 14:47 GMT
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The Masters continued at Alexandra Palace on Monday, but some of the event's lustre was removed when 23-time major champion Ronnie O'Sullivan withdrew. The eight-time Masters champion was due to face Neil Robertson, but pulled out on medical grounds. The news came as a surprise to Jimmy White. Watch and stream the 2025/26 snooker season, including the Masters, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
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Ronnie O’Sullivan’s decision to withdraw from the Masters has been met with surprise by Jimmy White.
A brief statement from World Snooker at the end of last week confirmed the eight-time winner would not be in attendance at Alexandra Palace on medical grounds.
"Ronnie O'Sullivan has withdrawn from the Johnstone's Paint Masters for medical reasons," a statement on the WST website read. "O'Sullivan was due to face Neil Robertson in the opening round on Wednesday, January 14th at 7pm.
"He has been replaced in the draw by Chris Wakelin, who was 17th seed at the cut-off point."
It is the latest event the seven-time world champion has withdrawn from, as he pulled out of the Wuhan Open, English Open, British Open, Northern Ireland Open, Shoot Out and Scottish Open earlier in the season.
O’Sullivan had made clear that he would be limiting his schedule to protect his wellbeing and give himself the best chance of being in peak form in the events he does play.
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He also told TNT Sports earlier in the season that he was enjoying his snooker more than at any time in the past decade.
"I'm enjoying playing," O’Sullivan said at the start of November. "It never feels like a grind when you are cueing well.
"I always think that if I am cueing good, then results don't really matter. I'm enjoying playing more than I have done for maybe over a decade now."
His latest appearance came at the UK Championship, an event he has won on eight occasions, but he crashed out at the first-round stage to Zhou Yuelong.
It was hoped that he would take his place in the second Triple Crown event of the season, but he pulled out a little under a week before he was due to meet Neil Robertson - and it came as a surprise to White.
"I was [surprised]," White said on TNT Sports.
"I heard he was in Ireland practising with Aaron Hill and Jordan Brown, and [had] been practising in Dubai and his game was in good shape," White said. "He has pulled out for medical reasons."
White quipped that event organisers may have had the inside word on O’Sullivan’s plans.
"He's not on the poster, so I think they might have known something," White said.
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While there was great disappointment that arguably the greatest player in the sport had withdrawn, Chris Wakelin was the man to benefit.
White feels that the in-form Wakelin has a chance of toppling Robertson on Wednesday.
"He [Wakelin] got a 147 in the Championship League," White said. "He's unlucky not to have got in the competition [automatically], he is in form so he has a good chance against Robertson."
The Masters continues on Monday, with Mark Allen facing Mark Williams, and world champion Zhao Xintong taking on Gary Wilson - live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
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Watch and stream the 2025/26 snooker season, including the Masters, live on TNT Sports and discovery+
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