Ronnie O’Sullivan called for a doctor to be employed at every snooker tournament after his emotional exchange with rival Anthony McGill at the Welsh Open. McGill beat home favorite Mark Williams in the second round but claimed he hated the way he played in an open debate on mental health..
O’Sullivan was open about his struggles with depression and addiction throughout his career before pulling out of the Llandudno tournament due to “stage fright”. McGill endured a short average of 21 seconds per shot in beating Williams 4-1, but still had “doubts” about his game and discussed the mental challenges of professional snooker..
“I just hate the way I play snooker,” he told Eurosport. “It’s so slow all the time and I don’t like it. I don’t do it on purpose, it’s just because I doubt myself. It’s up there. (points to the head). It’s a rough game between the ears.”O” Sullivan spoke to a nervous McGill, explaining that in a mostly mental sport like snooker, fights are common on the professional tour. The Rocket only picked two players who are less likely to deal with these issues because of their style of play.
“You can play with a broken leg and a broken arm, but if you have a bad head, you can forget about trying the game,” added O’Sullivan. “Sometimes you can get away with it, but temperament is everything. The game gets to us all. It’s definitely the most frustrating game on the planet..
If you asked all 128 players if they struggle with it most of the time, the answer would probably be yes – with the exception of John Higgins and Neil Robertson, who are so technically sound that they might have less frustrating days. It’s just the nature of the animal.”O’Sullivan suggested setting up a doctor at every snooker tournament so players could talk about their mental health..
The World Professional Pool and Snooker Association is offering support to players after teaming up with Arsenal icon Tony Adams’ Sports Chance. They address the emotional and behavioral issues of professional athletes and former professional athletes, and services are available to all WST players..
