World number one Ronnie O’Sullivan has withdrawn from the Northern Ireland Open for “medical reasons”.
The seven-time world champion was set to face American Ahmed Aly Elsayed in his opening match on Sunday.
O’Sullivan, 47, is a three-time beaten finalist in the tournament having lost the 2018, 2019 and 2020 deciders to fellow Englishman Judd Trump.
The Northern Ireland Open runs from 22-29 October at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.
O’Sullivan, who suffered a shock loss to world number 41 Lyu Haotian in the quarter-finals of the Wuhan Open last week, has been replaced by Rory McLeod.
O’Sullivan’s withdrawal is another blow for the tournament with world champion Luca Brecel, Mark Selby, John Higgins, Thailand’s Thepchaiya Un-Nooh and Ali Carter not taking part in Belfast.
The five players planned to skip the tournament to play in an exhibition event in Macau, and while that has now been rescheduled to December, they remain absentees having originally not entered Northern Ireland Open.
World number four Mark Allen is aiming to complete a hat-trick on home soil having won the 2021 and 2022 editions.
