Dennis Taylor has dismissed the idea that Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump’s moves to Asia could harm snooker in the UK. O’Sullivan, 49, secured residency in Hong Kong earlier this year, while Trump has been splitting his time between there and the sought-after Middle Eastern hotspot of Dubai.
The pair have cited the rich cultures and food scenes of these regions, along with a rise in snooker events in Asia and the Middle East, as reasons for their relocation. With two of the sport’s leading lights heading overseas, concerns have been raised about the potential negative impact on the UK’s position in snooker.
Their relocations have come amidst wide concerns the World Snooker Championship could be moved from the Crucible to overseas, where the likes of Saudi Arabia and China may be waiting. Yet, Taylor is not worried about Trump and O’Sullivan’s exits, noting snooker’s increasing global appeal.
While speaking to the Express, courtesy of Betway, the ex-world champ said: “There’s very few [players moving abroad].
“It is always players moving to the UK from abroad and that’s been happening since the days of Eddie Charlton who did over 100 trips from Australia.
“I don’t think it impacts the game in the UK. It’s not just a UK game anyways now, it’s a worldwide game growing all over the world so it’s not going to impact that.
“The fact that the BBC signed up for another seven years shows the game is healthy and is growing all over the world. The viewing figures and the crowds are getting bigger. The game is in good shape so there isn’t much wrong with the sport.”
Trump explained his choice to relocate east, where he resides with his Hong Kongese figure-skating partner Maisy Ma, by suggesting the lifestyle aligns better with his preferences. He said: “I think we have now got the opportunity to pick a bit more where you can live.
“I think there’s so many tournaments in Asia and the Middle East, everywhere is kind of picking that up and now I’m able to base myself in Dubai and Hong Kong. I think for me it’s perfect, I think the style of living for me really suits me and it inspires me as well to see other people doing great.”
He added: “I need to be inspired to keep going, to want to afford to do different things and be around the right people so I think just at this moment in time I am able to, haven’t got a baby or anything, I am able to do what I want and I need to enjoy it while I can.”
O’Sullivan offered a similar rationale when quizzed about his decision to relocate. The Rocket said: “I’ve spent a lot of time in Hong Kong.
“I’ve had many really nice trips here, got some good friends here, I enjoy my stay here. And obviously, snooker is very popular here as well. If you want to have a good life, you should come to Hong Kong.
“I probably do about 70% of my work in China and Asia now, so I have to make a life here, I have to make a home. If you work a long time in a certain place you need to make it as comfortable as possible.”
At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the “Do Not Sell or Share my Data” button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Cookie Notice.
