Three-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan has said that he is ready to bring his snooker career to an end after this year's World Championship final.
The 36-year-old faces fellow Essexman Ali Carter in the final, which begins this afternoon at the Crucible in Sheffield.
"I've made the decision. This might - might - be my last time here," O'Sullivan told BBC Sport.
O'Sullivan, after seeing off Matthew Stevens in the semi-final, added: "I don't intend to stay in the game long, even though I feel I'm in a lot better place. I might consider having a good, long break, a couple of years off.
"I've weighed up the pluses and the minuses and I'm quite comfortable with the decision.
"There's no better way [to go out] than to get to the final at the Crucible. If I win it, it's a bonus; if I don't, at least I can say I've gone out on a high."
O'Sullivan's career has been topsy-turvy, to say the least, and although he seems to be at his brutal best at the moment, the Tiptree man feels this is the right time to hang up his cue.
He added: "There's a lot of pressure involved in being a professional sportsman and I'm not sure I want to be sitting here another 10 years deluding myself.
"Sometimes you've just got to live life a little bit. Maybe I'll do a bit of Strictly Come Dancing or something like that?"
Another legend of the snooker world, Stephen Hendry, also retired following his exit from this year's event.
Pascal Lemesre
