RONNIE O’SULLIVAN put his shock defeat in the European Masters final behind him with a comfortable 4-0 win over James Cahill at the Welsh Open – before casting doubt on ambitions for another World Championship title.
Chinese youngster Fan Zhengyi claimed a shock 10-9 victory over O’Sullivan to win his first ranking title in Milton Keynes on Sunday.
The Rocket was swiftly back in action at Celtic Manor on Tuesday, coasting past Cahill with three half-century breaks to move through the first qualifying round into the last 64, where he will face Belgian Lukas Kleckers.
Following the routine win, six-time world champion O’Sullivan maintained he continues to view snooker as “more of a hobby” as he takes stock of his career achievements.
“No matter what you do it’s just a business and I just look at what’s best for me,” O’Sullivan told BBC Wales.
“If somebody rang me up next week and said: ‘look we’ve got a great job for you, it clashes with the World Championship, but it’s a better offer,’ I’d go.
“At the moment I play when I want, don’t play when I don’t want to play, and it’s great.
“It’s more of a hobby, but a serious hobby. I just make a decision on each tournament and each proposal.”
Last week during his run to the final in Milton Keynes, O’Sullivan spoke of suffering “snooker depression” for a couple of hours following matches.
The 46-year-old maintained he would “100 per cent” swerve another trip to the Crucible if he felt another opportunity was right.
“I’m just all about business now and that’s how it’s been the last seven or eight years,” O’Sullivan said.
“No matter what it is, I look at it as a proposal. Is it something I want to do? And make a decision on it.
“My time is very, very valuable and I want to feel valued for my time.
“So as long as I’m feeling valued in what I’m doing and I don’t feel like I’m wasting my time, then I’d be anywhere, I don’t really care.”
Elsewhere during Tuesday’s early matches at Celtic Manor, home favourite Mark Williams was edged out 4-3 by Norwegian Kurt Maflin while Australian Neil Robertson made two century breaks as he coasted past Hammad Miah 4-1.
There were also first-round victories for China’s Ding Junhui, Joe Perry, Scott Donaldson and Ali Carter, who chalked up a 4-1 win over Hong Kong’s Ng On Yee, the first woman to compete in the event.
In Tuesday’s evening session, world number three Judd Trump scored a break of 120 in the final frame of his convincing 4-1 win over Craig Steadman to reach the last 32.
Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen ended the hopes of Ukrainian teenager Iulian Boiko with a comfortable 4-0 victory, and Fergal O’Brien edged out Thailand’s Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 4-3 on the final black.
Five-time winner John Higgins hit a couple of centuries as he progressed 4-0 against Iran veteran Soheil Vahedi, with Matthew Selt and Jack Lisowski also coming through their late matches.
The maul tries would not have been so easily scored if Klyne had been playing. He is invaluable to Munster an absolute brick wall in defence.
Didn’t look good now. Should never have Glasgow come away with bonus point. As for Jager, there’s a reason he’s at munster and not at La Rochelle or Toulouse. Let’s not get carried away with this guy folks.
@Ray Ridge: is it that he has ambitions of playing international rugby? Or that he values player welfare?
@Ray Ridge: easy does it Ray. He might not tech the heights of your interprovincial career or international prospects but give him a little time before cutting the legs from him.
@David O’Flynn: Time?? 6 years at the Crusaders and failed to make it as an all black. I doubt a year or two at munster will make a difference. No harm or offence.
@Ray Ridge: Was that last sentence a pun there Ray? This lads father is Harm Jager.
Harm Jager is a Dutch strength and conditioning coach who worked (works?) in Ireland but I can’t remember who for, Football? Rugby?
I remember him in connection with Niall Quinn I think.
@Ray Ridge: Neither did Aki, JGP or Lowe make it to the ABs but they made it into the Irish side.
You seem to be very quick to judge. Judge as you wish to be judged is a good philosophy, irrespective of any religious connotations.
They seemed to try and drop it (lineout) a few times, but Loughman wasn’t able to pull the man down and so gave away momentum and never got behind it, and they only contested once (from 5m). Jager seems a little off the fitness level but looks like a bouncer at Mullingars 3 best nightclub which is exactly what’s needed. Hope he goes well. No need for that reverse scrum penalty for one of the maul tries.
I have to agree with Matt Williams article last week about how the proliferation of maul tries. I agree it is ruining the game. They have to think of a way of Dix our aging it and encouraging the running option.
@John dunne: discouraging!
@John dunne: Ugh. Matt Williams is awful, Ray Ridge is even better.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see the match but it is a great result. The fact that there’s areas to improve upon means Munster will get even stronger. The return match with Leinster will be a tough one, I can’t see Munster losing it.
Remember, Glasgow have a very strong team this year, so no mean result overall! That’s in spite of their BP, which needs to be looked at in terms of the overall scoring by Munster. If Munster had lost, yeah I’d complain but it’s a great score to put on a strong team.