Louis Heathcote balancing work and snooker in struggle for success: ‘It’s been difficult’

Louis Heathcote is battling to climb the snooker ranks, but his ambitions are made all the more difficult to achieve by having to find work off the table to make ends meet.

The 24-year-old was voted Rookie of the Year in 2020 and tipped to have a top career by Ronnie O’Sullivan, something he certainly has the talent to achieve, but he is having to balance his time playing snooker with earning money, after a slow season so far.

With just five matches won this campaign, gaps in the calendar have emerged with no earnings coming from snooker, which has made other jobs a necessity for the world number 101.

‘It’s been difficult, to be honest,’ Heathcote told Metro.co.uk. ‘From April to September we didn’t really have much on. Then November to February, so another three months, it’s half the year I’ve got almost no tournaments, so what are you expecting to live on?

‘I’ve been working at the snooker club, I’ve got two weeks work labouring starting next week. I’ll have to practice on the evenings, but I need the money.

‘My parents have been helping and I’m lucky that I’ve got a sponsor who does help me out. Not everyone’s that fortunate and I’ve still been struggling with running out of money. Practicing 9am-4pm and then working 4pm-2am at the snooker club for a bit of cash, it’s not been easy the last few months.’

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