Ronnie O'Sullivan won't defend his crown at next week's Masters and will be replaced by Neil Robertson, World Snooker Tour has confirmed.
O'Sullivan won the Masters for a record eighth time 12 months ago when defeating Ali Carter in the final, but won't be at Alexandra Palace for his scheduled opener with John Higgins on Sunday having withdrawn from the tournament on medical grounds.
The Rocket looked out of sorts and out of love with the game when competing in the Championship League this week, skipping his final match with Ali Carter on Thursday and reportedly leaving his cue at the venue.
O'Sullivan has pulled out of a number of tournaments already this season, most recently the Scottish Open before Christmas, and opted out of this very event in 2020.
Carter was the beneficiary that year, taking advantage of the late call-up to reach the final.
This time around, that chance has fallen to Robertson who claimed his second Masters win in only 2022.
Higgins will now meet Robertson, who was ranked in 17th position at the seeding cutoff after the UK Championship.
More Masters content
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- James Cooper's Round One preview for the Masters
- Nick Metcalfe sets the scene for the Masters
- Neal Foulds on the magic of the Masters
- Masters memories
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