O’Sullivan had ‘breakdown’ at Crucible
SNOOKER ace Ronnie O’Sullivan has revealed he suffered a “breakdown” during the 2016 World Championship.
The five-time Crucible champion suffered a shock second-round defeat as his hopes of equalling Steve Davis’s six world titles ended.
Sullivan said: “I was on a low and I had a breakdown. I’d had a massive workload, probably too much for myself. I’d worked myself to the bone.
“The pressure of the tournament was just too much, so when I won my first round match I got driven down to London and went straight into hospital. I was physically exhausted. Luckily the doctors helped me out.
“I was put on medication and it helped me, but it was touch and go whether I was going to play my secondround match. The doctor said to take some medication to slow my mind down – and it worked. I just felt like I was having a breakdown.”
O’Sullivan lost that second-round tie 13-12 to compatriot Barry Hawkins and last won a world title in 2013.
Jokingly he added: “I do love a breakdown, though, it spurs me on. I’m so used to dragging myself up from such a low I’m conditioned to it now. I’ve done it all my life.
“Sometimes I know that once I get to the bottom I’m just going to fly right back up again.
“Over the last six years I’ve managed to balance it. I’ve been to so many lows that it doesn’t worry me any more as I know exactly how to cope with it.”