RONNIE O'Sullivan, the world's most popular snooker player, is close to mental collapse he revealed after winning through to the Travis Perkins UK Snooker Championship quarter-finals in York.

Despite being in tremendous form, with five century breaks in his 9-5 third round win over Alan McManus at the Barbican Centre, the world-ranked number three confessed that he is struggling to hold himself together emotionally because of personal stress.

He is so confused and distressed that he said he would like to take time away from snooker to allow him to sort himself out.

During the afternoon break between the two sessions of his match yesterday he said he broke down and cried for 20 minutes in the bath in his hotel room.

"I am struggling mentally at the moment," the 2001 world and UK champion said after his victory last night.

His voice trembling with painful emotion and seemingly almost in tears he added: "I do not know where I am going. I do not feel comfortable with myself. There is some stuff hurting me and I cannot handle it. It's crippling me.

"There is a lot of pent-up anger and I am really struggling. It maybe stuff to do with my dad and my mum, I don't know. There are people around who are helping but it's a case of them keeping me together from match to match.

"I am here to be beaten in the tournament because inside I am feeling very weak and I am brittle. I don't know if I could handle defeat."

O'Sullivan has had family problems for many years, his father serving a life term in prison.

"I would like to be able to take time out from snooker and maybe it would be possible to do a deal with the snooker governing body to allow me to do that," he added.

"I need time to sort myself out and gets things right, maybe a year away. I love snooker and I want to play snooker, but I wouldn't come back to the game having to go through qualifying tournaments.

"I am taking it a day at a time and I am going to need help."

None of his problems showed in the arena yeaterday. He fired a 125 break in his opening frame and added 134 in the fourth, 121 in the eighth, 103 in the 11th and 109 two frames later. McManus stuck with him up to 5-5, levelling with a 119 break. But 'the Rocket' then charged to victory by taking the next four frames.

O'Sullivan's quarter-final against Australian Quinten Hann will be played on Thursday.

Updated: 11:07 Wednesday, November 26, 2003