Ronnie O'Sullivan has withdrawn from the China Open citing medical reasons.
The world champion and world number one rang tournament organisers in Beijing on Friday night explaining why he was withdrawing from the £200,000 world-ranking event which starts at the Haidan Stadium in Beijing tomorrow.
O'Sullivan is a star attraction wherever he plays and by pulling out at such a late stage has damaged snooker's return to the People's Republic for the first time in three years. The absence of O'Sullivan also ends his chances of equalling Stephen Hendry's record five world-ranking titles in a single season.
He has already won the Grand Prix, Welsh Open and Irish Masters during a golden 2004-05 campaign that has also yielded the Masters trophy and £280,750 in prize money.
