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O'Sullivan to seek help from sports shrink

Ronnie O'Suiivan has looked troubled at the table this season © PA Photos

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Ronnie O'Sullivan is set to visit a leading sports psychiatrist, having revealed he came close to withdrawing from the World Championship.

O'Sullivan has had a torrid time this season and will head to the Crucible this weekend having lost his last four first-round matches. He has spoken about retirement and came close to pressing ahead with his plans when informing officials he did not want to play at the World Championship.

He was given the weekend to mull over his decision and was ultimately persuaded to change his mind. And with the fire still burning, he will visit Dr Steve Peters - the man who helped Britain's cyclists to their medal haul at the Beijing Olympcis - in a bid to get back on track.

"Last week I put in a verbal withdrawal to World Snooker and told them I wasn't going to play in Sheffield," O'Sullivan said. "That's when it really hit me that this could be it, for five or 10 minutes my heart was pounding.

"I said if it's easier to say I'm retiring then say that. They said that's fine, but we'll give you the weekend to think about it. On Monday they called back, and talked me back into it."

O'Sullivan begins his World Championship challenge against Dominic Dale and he will head into the game on the back of a meeting with Dr Peters.

"I am about to go and see the man who worked with the GB Olympic cycling team later this week," O'Sullivan said. "He has a very good reputation. I'll be honest with him, I'm not sure what he can do to help me - but there is that small chance that he can.

"My problem is not that I can't get over the winning line, or that I don't believe I am good enough. I can win and I know if I'm playing well I beat all bar a couple.

"But a friend said to me in China you should see this bloke. I will try anything that might work. It just sounds too good to be true if after all these years someone makes it all come back, and I start enjoying it again and finding all my shots."

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