Hossein Vafaei and Ronnie O’Sullivan ended their spicy World Championship rivalry with a hug (Picture: Getty Images)
Hossein Vafaei has no interest in reigniting the spat with Ronnie O’Sullivan which grabbed headlines at the World Championship.
Both men are in action at the Shanghai Masters this week, with Vafaei kicking off his campaign with a comfortable 6-1 win over wildcard Gong Chenzhi in his opening contest on Monday, setting up a last 16 clash with Mark Selby.
The Iranian is on the same side of the draw as the Rocket but he has no intention of bringing their beef back to the boil.
Vafaei memorably suggested last year that O’Sullivan should retire as he is not good for snooker, an eye-catching claim which appeared to have avoided the wrath of the Rocket until the two players were due to meet at this year’s World Championship.
O’Sullivan warned Vafaei not to ‘rattle his cage’ while the Prince of Persia refused to wilt and hit out at the seven-time world champion, saying he’s a ‘nice person when he’s asleep.’
The Rocket had the last laugh, hammering Vafaei 13-2 in their last 16 clash, but the pair laughed together at the end and hugged it out, seemingly ending their spat.
After Vafaei got his Shanghai Masters campaign underway on Monday he was asked if he planned to create any similar headlines this week, but he is not necessarily keen on the controversy again.
‘I’m so happy, this is myself, I’m not acting, I’m a snooker player and I love to be myself. If something is not right I have to say it, people accept it or don’t accept it,’ Vafaei told WST.
‘At the same time, we shouldn’t forget the respect as well, as much as possible.
‘Let’s forget that [the spat with O’Sullivan]. I’m going to make a new story again, maybe for someone else! No, listen, I love Ronnie, he’s my hero.
‘I play snooker because of him, if he’s not around snooker, who’s going to watch the snooker? Even myself, I’m one of his fans.
‘Sometimes it happens in any family. Let’s forget it.’
Also getting his Shanghai Masters campaign underway on Monday was John Higgins, who also dispatched a wildcard comfortable, downing Deng Haohui 6-0 to set-up a meeting with Kyren Wilson in the next round.
John Higgins is hoping for a second Shanghai Masters title (Picture: Getty Images)
The Wizard of Wishaw sounds thrilled to be back in Shanghai in the first edition of the tournament since 2019 due to a pandemic-enforced break.
‘The venue is totally transformed from when we’ve played so many years here,’ said the four-time world champ. ‘It’s a better venue now. Backstage it just feels more prestigious as well.
‘Great arena to play in. It’s brilliant, obviously it’s a beautiful city, one of the nicest cities in the world, one of the nicest cities I’ve ever travelled to. It’s great to be back.’
MORE : Stephen Hendry admits Ronnie O’Sullivan’s future is a worry for snooker
MORE : Shanghai Masters draw, schedule, prize money, odds and how to watch
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‘Sometimes it happens in any family.’***
