Judd Trump Claims Ronnie O’Sullivan Is Now More Vulnerable

Yet another professional snooker tournament has passed without Ronnie O’Sullivan, as the World Snooker Tour moves from the Players Championship in Telford to the ongoing Welsh Open.

O’Sullivan qualified for both tournaments through his ranking on the one-year and overall order of merit but chose not to enter either. 

The Welsh Open marks the tenth professional UK tournament that O’Sullivan has either withdrawn from or not entered this season, including the second Triple Crown event, the Masters, and the Champion of Champions.

Since relocating from the UK to Dubai in late 2025, O’Sullivan has been seeking a “fresh start” and a quieter life with his wife, Laila Rouass. 

Many see this move as a key reason why he isn’t travelling back to compete in UK events as frequently.

From a fan’s perspective, O’Sullivan’s presence adds a unique gravitas to any tournament. But what about from a player’s point of view? 

World number one Judd Trump shared his thoughts with SportsBoom.

Does His Absence Change the Game?

“To be honest I don't even think about it, no. It’s not until you mentioned it that I realised that he’s not here,” Trump said when asked whether an event feels different when O’Sullivan isn’t competing.

Trump was candid about O’Sullivan’s recent performances compared to his peak years.

“He’s an amazing player, but the way’s he’s been playing recently, it’s been quite poor,” Trump added.

Trump believes that it might be for the best that O’Sullivan skips tournaments if he’s not fully committed to practice.

“I think it's better for him to take that time out and when he is willing to put the work in.”

Ronnie’s Cue Troubles 

Since the destruction of his long-time cue in early 2025, O’Sullivan has been experimenting with new equipment. Trump believes the Rocket hasn’t yet found the right replacement.

“I think he's still struggling with his cue as well. I don't think he's found the right cue from what I've seen when we play.”

“The mistakes he makes, he never made with his old cue, never.”

Higgins Comparisons 

Trump also discussed how age could increasingly impact O’Sullivan’s game. Now 50, returning to the top of the sport will become tougher. 

He contrasted O’Sullivan with fellow “Class of ’92” peer John Higgins, who remains highly competitive, having recently reached the Players Championship final, as well as the most recent Triple Crown event, the Masters final back in January. 

“The more you get older and the less he plays, the less sharp he's gonna be and it's just gonna get harder and harder.”

“It's gonna be difficult for him now. I think John's [Higgins] mentality is a little bit different from him. He’s willing to put the work in and that's why he's probably got that little bit more consistency.”

In a separate recent interview, Higgins weighed in on O’Sullivan’s reduced schedule and argued that Trump should already be recognised as snooker’s modern flag bearer. The four-time world champion praised Trump’s achievements, attacking style and global appeal, while questioning why the world number one has not received the same level of recognition in the UK as previous greats.

Vulnerability 

Trump believes O’Sullivan is more vulnerable now, having lost some of the invincibility he once held.

“You know, Ronnie can turn on it any point, but I think he’s a little bit more vulnerable. He used to be invincible against some players, he’d only have to turn up and they'd kind of crumble, wouldn't they? And now it just doesn't seem like that kind of happens as much. People are a lot more comfortable playing him.”

Despite his observations, Trump isn’t counting O’Sullivan out and believes he could still deliver incredible performances in the near future.

“I'm sure there's gonna be one tournament in the next year or two. He's gonna be unbelievable. He's still capable of amazing things.”