O'Sullivan talks of quitting snooker after defeat

Ronnie O'Sullivan has once more threatened to quit snooker, saying he wants to enjoy life. Although he has been the sport's most popular player for the bulk of his 20-year career, with his presence sure to add to crowds in an era of largely bland players, that hasn't stopped O'Sullivan from repeatedly saying he will walk away from the green baize for good. The former world champion's two-year wait for a ranking title continued Tuesday as he was beaten 6-5 by Judd Trump in the UK Championship second round. "I thought I applied myself today, I feel in a good place and I don't want to take the shine off Judd but I seriously can't see me having much longer playing," O'Sullivan said. "Even though I'm in a good frame of mind, I don't want to feel how I feel when I play. "My game is not up to scratch, where I would like it to be or where it used to be. It's not even playing, it's how I feel in between matches and tournaments. It leaves me feeling quite nervy and anxious and I feel like I've had enough of the anxious moments. "Having those emotions going round in general, I find quite difficult. I feel really well, the best I have ever done, I just feel some times the truth needs to be told. I've given it a really good go, but how long? I don't know. "I want to enjoy my life. I feel like I've had a good go, I'm 36 and I would like to meet somebody and share my time with someone. "When I'm feeling the way I feel between tournaments I find that very difficult to happen. I think there's more to life, or there is for me." O'Sullivan added: "I'd like to settle down and do some other things and not have the anxious moments and thoughts that have plagued me. "I will probably try and tough it out for a little bit. Everybody knows I've been seeing (psychologist) Dr Steve Peters and he'll kill me for saying this and opening up like this. "I will talk to him and I think for my own piece of mind, my own life, there is life beyond snooker. "I still want to work and I'm sure I'll find stuff to do but I want to share my life with someone. I don't want to be living on my own, I don't want to travel around the world on my own feeling anxious, carrying these emotions. "To be the real Ronnie, I need to get away from what's causing the problem." O'Sullivan's longstanding adversary John Higgins, the reigning UK champion, also lost, going down 6-4 to fellow Scot Stephen Maguire. It was one way traffic as Maguire, who compiled a 144 break in the second frame, raced into a 3-0 and then 5-1 lead. Higgins, however, fought back with breaks of 101, 54 and 95 to cut his opponent's lead to 5-4. But Maguire ensured there would be no final frame decider as he took the 10th after Higgins missed a black. One match that did go all the way saw China's two-time UK winner Ding Junhui beat 2003 champion Matthew Stevens 6-5.