Scottish snooker star Ross Muir revealed the heartbreaking news he recently lost his mother.Muir shared the tragic update having received abuse in the wake of his 5-1 loss to Ronnie O’Sullivan at the World Open in China on Monday.Muir was sent packing from the World Open by ‘The Rocket’GettyIt was a match that included a bizarre mid-match departure from O’Sullivan after the snooker icon was left annoyed with a logo sewn onto his waistcoat.However, he was back at the table within minutes to continue playing against Muir.Unfortunately for the Scot, he never quite found his rhythm against ‘The Rocket’, leading some to question the world No. 109’s efforts in the match.Instead, Muir opened up on what had been a ‘very difficult period’ which prompted him to take some time away from the sport.Muir releases statement after loss“I understand that sport brings strong opinions, but the abuse I’ve received after my match today is disappointing to see,” Muir said.“I’ve recently lost my mother and, because of that, I haven’t been playing or competing much over the past few months. It’s been a very difficult period personally.“I’ll continue to do my best when I’m at the table and I appreciate the support from those who show respect and understanding.”An outpouring of support for Muir followed as fellow snooker professionals and dozens of fans offered their condolences.“Best wishes to you Ross,” renowned snooker commentator Neal Foulds said.Ex-snooker star Sean O’Sullivan added his support with a love heart emoji.Muir has been dealing with the loss of his motherGettyMuir made his professional snooker debut in 2013 and rose as high as 67th in the world rankings before he retired in 2019.The Edinburgh native resumed his career in 2023 and sits 109th in the rankings.Who will O’Sullivan face next at the World Open?Having moved past Muir in the first round, O’Sullivan was afford extra time off before he returned at the World Open having received a bye into the third round.The snooker icon was scheduled to face Ishpreet Singh Chadha in the next stage.However, the Indian star has withdrawn from the tournament, giving ‘The Rocket’ a free pass.Chadha is not the only player to have pulled out of the World Open.O’Sullivan is gearing up for a World Open tiltGettyFour-time world champion Mark Selby, Barry Hawkins and Chris Totten chose not to participate due to ‘medical reasons’.O’Sullivan will play Matthew Selt in the third round, with the victor earning a spot in the quarter-finals.How to follow the World OpentalkSPORT and talkSPORT.com will keep you up to date with all the latest news from the tournament.To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream. You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.