Ronnie O'Sullivan withdraws from WST Classic with elbow injury as Neil Robertson defeat kills off Tour Championship bid

Ronnie O'Sullivan will miss the elite Tour Championship event later this month after withdrawing from the inaugural WST Classic on Sunday due to an elbow injury. He will be joined on the sidelines by Neil Robertson, who will be denied the chance to defend the Tour title following his shock 4-3 loss to world No. 65 Oliver Lines in the last 32.

Ad World champion O'Sullivan was scheduled to meet world No. 69 David Grace in the last 64 at 6pm UK time in Leicester, but has pulled out of the event with fellow Englishman Grace advancing to the last 32. SnookerDing beaten by Xu Si at WST Classic to dent Tour Championship hopes19 HOURS AGO O'Sullivan had hit two centuries in an opening 4-2 win over Mohamed Ibrahim at the Morningside Arena on Friday.

«Ronnie O’Sullivan has withdrawn from the WST Classic in Leicester for medical reasons,» said World Snooker Tour in a statement. «He was due to meet David Grace at 6pm on Sunday evening in the second round, but Grace now receives a bye into the last 32.» The withdrawal means O'Sullivan can no longer qualify for the eight-man Tour Championship in Hull (March 27-April 2). «Really disappointed but have had to pull out because of an elbow injury and hope to be back asap,» said O'Sullivan on Twitter.

He had to claim the £80,000 WST Classic first prize and hope for favourable results to have any chance of making it into an event he won in 2019, but will be on the sidelines for the penultimate ranking competition of the 2022/23 campaign. The world No. 1 will have a month to prepare for his world title defence at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield when he chases a record eighth crown at the sport's biggest event (April 15-May 1 LIVE on discovery+ and Eurosport).