Ronnie O'Sullivan responds to calls for him to QUIT snooker as he makes remarkable U-turn

Snooker star Ronnie O'Sullivan has insisted he will decide when he retires from the sport after pulling out of the Wuhan Open due to medical reasons - as he U-turned on his claims that the next generation of players were not good enough.

The 49-year-old was due to play Allan Taylor in the opening round of the competition this week before withdrawing and there has been mounting speculation O'Sullivan's days in snooker could be numbered.

It is the latest tournament 'The Rocket' has pulled out of this year, leading to fears of retirement, while he even stunned fans by snapping his beloved cue in half at the start of the year.

O'Sullivan is one of the greatest players in the history of the sport after winning seven world titles. Despite fears O'Sullivan could soon retire, he has still be in superb form after winning five of his last seven matches.

Last week, he hit two 147s in the same match against Chris Wakelin in the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters.

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O'Sullivan is still expected to appear at the English Open next month and he has now hit back at suggestions his storied career could soon be coming to a close.

"I’ve always said I’d be the first to let you know when I’m done, finished or gone or whatever it is," the veteran star said.

"I was getting written off in 2012 and I played probably my best snooker when I won the World Championship. I did say then: ‘Don’t ever question me. I’ll let you know when I’m done'."

He previously claimed he was still playing at the highest level because the standard of new players coming into the sport had dropped and said they would even struggled to cut the grade at amateur level.

"If you asked me then (if I thought I'd still be at this level), then no," he told the BBC at the time. "If you look at the younger players coming through, they’re not that good really. Most of them they’d probably do well as half-decent amateurs, not even amateurs they’re so bad. So that’s really why we’re still hovering around, because of just how poor it is."

But he made a remarkable U-turn on the next generation as he claimed there were some "fantastic players", which meant he was unable to win games like he had in the past.

"I’m not done," he added. "I’m not definitely on a downward curve. At my age playing these youngsters, they’re some fantastic players, I’m never going to win like I used to.

"I’m never going to be the favourite for the tournaments. It’s going to be Kyren Wilson, Judd Trump and Zhao Xintong. I’m in that bracket behind where if I play well, I’ve got a chance. Maybe rely on one of the top guys to not play well or get beaten. Anything can happen, you know."