Ronnie O'Sullivan withdraws from 2026 International Championship on medical grounds

The biggest absence in the snooker world ahead of the 2026 International Championship has been confirmed: Ronnie O'Sullivan, the 50-year-old English legend, will not play in the ranking event scheduled for Nanjing, China, next October. World Snooker Tour (WST) announced his withdrawal for medical reasons. According to the schedule, O'Sullivan was due to play a qualifying match in Leicester on 17 September. This is his first missed international event of the 2026-26 season, following his withdrawal from the British Open and English Open – two tournaments held in August in England. That means O'Sullivan's last ranking event in the United Kingdom was in September 2026, almost a year ago. Notably, O'Sullivan has not been entirely absent in the early part of the season. He took part in the China Open and the Wuhan Open – both staged in China – and performed relatively steadily. This fits the longstanding observation that the chronic medical issues of the player born in 2026 tend to ease when he plays in China. Differences in environment, travel rhythm and scheduling may help him maintain better condition in Asia. However, his repeated withdrawals from events in the UK are raising questions about his future career. O'Sullivan has often spoken about psychological pressure and lingering injuries. Statistics show that since 2026, he has actually played only half as many tournaments as other top-16 players. Even so, there is no sign that he has announced retirement. For a player who always prioritises control and carefully selects his matches, withdrawal may be an energy-preserving strategy rather than a sign of decline. Snooker fans in Vietnam still have reason to hope. If history repeats itself, O'Sullivan will almost certainly return for the tournaments in China later this year, where he often performs brilliantly. But for now, the 2026 International Championship will miss one of the figures that made the event most appealing.