snooker's

Having gone through public battles with depression, O'Sullivan's mindset has always been one of snooker's talking points, but he says he now understands why he has gone through such turmoil.

Ronnie O'Sullivan considers retirement after defeat to Judd Trump 2011

Despite having been the box-office attraction for the majority of his 20-year career, O'Sullivan has rarely been a settled presence as snooker's public face and has continually threatened to retire.

Ronnie O'Sullivan considers retirement after defeat to Judd Trump 2011

Last month, snooker's Ali Carter appeared to be announcing his retirement, declaring: "Life is too short to do something you don't enjoy," only to backpedal later.

Serena Williams's love for shopping over playing is telling for tennis | Marina Hyde 2012

Or, indeed, the whispering of snooker's Ted Lowe, who has left the earthly stage at the climax of the world championship.

In praise of ... 'Whispering' Ted Lowe | Editorial 2011

When a small bald man, famed for his insane drive and frightening monomania in pursuit of his goals, was found floating dead in the Baltic, Chechen separatists were quick to claim responsibility, not realising that, instead of Russia's latterday tsar, they'd taken the life of one of snooker's favourite sons.

Look away, Simon Cowell and John Humphrys. 2012 won't be your year | David Mitchell 2012

Dull characters cannot be turned into colourful ones and until the next "Hurricane" Higgins comes along, Mr. Hearn says snooker's best chance of winning back lost viewers is to inject some excitement into the sport.

Snooker Faces the Grim Reaper 2010

The influx of money during snooker's boom years attracted a new generation, who saw studying the angles as a lucrative career move.

Snooker Faces the Grim Reaper 2010

Ronnie O'Sullivan, the best player in the world, voiced his fears for snooker's future a year ago.

Snooker Faces the Grim Reaper 2010

A precocious talent at sinking snooker's balls -- the red, yellow, green, brown, blue, and pink, and of course, the black, his private life turned out to quite be like his game, brushed with a rush of wild color and countless black moments.

Alan Black: Snookered: The Death of Hurricane Higgins 2010

The 1980s and 90s were a golden age: With football suffering from an image problem, mostly because of hooliganism and stadium disasters, snooker's popularity soared, peaking wiith the 1985 world championship final between Steve Davis, the sport's dominant player, and Dennis Taylor, who'd entered the tournament as an apparent no-hoper.

Snooker Faces the Grim Reaper 2010