Ronnie O’Sullivan is set to make a comeback at the upcoming German Masters tournament in January after a hiatus of nine years. Popularly known as “The Rocket,” O’Sullivan has been absent from the event’s main stages since 2017 but is now poised to compete for the £550,000 prize.
Having refrained from entering or withdrawing from the tournament since his last appearance in Berlin nine years ago, O’Sullivan recently faced a setback in the 2022 qualifiers, losing 5-0 to Hossein Vafaei in Cannock and missing out on advancing to Germany.
The 50-year-old snooker legend will kick off his campaign against either Haris Tahir, Zhao Hanyang, or Long Zehuang. Notably, O’Sullivan is one of the top 16 seeds, with only Ding Junhui absent from the draw, which has been officially released on the German Masters’ website.
Scheduled to commence on January 26 at the Tempodrom in Berlin, the tournament will witness Kyren Wilson defending his title after a thrilling 10-9 victory over Barry Hawkins earlier this year. Judd Trump, a three-time champion in the last six editions, along with other top players like Mark Selby, Zhao Xintong, Mark Williams, Neil Robertson, Mark Allen, and Shaun Murphy, will also be vying for the prestigious trophy.
O’Sullivan, who has a history of last-minute withdrawals, has faced recent setbacks due to health concerns. Despite being ranked eighth globally, he has yet to secure a ranking event win in the current season. Following his marriage to actress Laila Rouass, O’Sullivan relocated from Essex to Dubai, citing challenges with jet lag during his frequent travels to the Middle East and China.
As the snooker season approaches, Sky has introduced a discounted Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, offering over 1,400 live matches across various leagues. The broadcasting network will showcase a minimum of 215 live Premier League games, a significant increase from previous seasons.