Ronnie O’Sullivan speaks out on Ali Carter rant: ‘Do I regret saying it? Probably’
Ronnie O’Sullivan wishes he hadn’t unleashed a rant on Ali Carter after their Masters final last year, but says his comments were just ‘heat of the moment stuff’.
The Rocket beat the Captain 10-7 in the Alexandra Palace final 12 months ago, extending his own record to eight Masters titles.
Carter had led 6-3 but the seven-time world champion came back strongly in the second half of the match and got his hands on the trophy yet again.
It was a fairly ill-tempered affair between the old rivals and both had their say after the match.
Carter told reporters that O’Sullivan had been ‘snotting all over the floor’ during the match, calling it ‘outrageous behaviour’ from the champion.
Responding to the claim from the Captain, the Rocket let loose, starting a rant by saying: ‘He needs to sort his f***ing life out. I’m not going to skirt around it anymore, tip-toeing on egg shells around someone like that. He’s a f***ing nightmare.’
A year removed from those comments, O’Sullivan regrets losing his cool, but also dismissed the situation as a flash in the pan and said the words from both men mean little.
‘It’s just heat of the moment stuff,’ said O’Sullivan. ‘If I feel like I’ve got to say something I’ll say it.
‘It’s nothing personal, just heat of the moment stuff. He’s entitled to say what he’s got to say, like I am.
‘Do I regret saying it? Probably. I wish I’d kept my mouth shut and been a bit more polished with my answers, a bit more diplomatic. But I’ve said what I’ve said and that’s fine.
‘It’s only words innit? He goes back to his life, his family and I do. We only have to meet on the table, it’s not like we’re best mates but it’s fine, we’re both pretty grown up.’
Carter riled up the Rocket last year by saying: ‘There were a couple of things that happened out there that go unnoticed. Well, they don’t go unnoticed – anyone with eyesight or a brain can see what’s going on.
‘It’s disgusting quite frankly. No one wants to say anything do they? (O’Sullivan) snotting all over the floor and all that. I mean it’s outrageous behaviour from a top professional. It it gets swept under the carpet then for me, it’s not good.
‘And there were some morons in the crowd. It’s unbelievable really. It’s hard enough to beat him, but when you have people shouting on your shot and saying stupid things at important times…my head wanted to come off.’
The Rocket’s outburst in response continued: ‘Playing snooker against someone like that is a nightmare. He’s not a nice person. It’s not a nice vibe he leaves around the table.
‘I’ve said my piece, I don’t give a s**t. I’ve said it now, done. You know what he’s like, everybody knows what he’s like.
‘He’s got issues. F***ing why has he got issues with me? I’m not having it. I don’t care, grow some balls. I don’t give a f*** about any of these snooker players, any of them.
‘The more he brings it on, the more I f***ing punish him every time. He’s just digging a grave for himself. I don’t give a f***. That’s it, I’ve said my piece.’
O’Sullivan had not quite said his piece, noting that his relationship with Carter goes back a long way and just how bad it has become.
‘He’s got beef with me. He’s got issues, he’s got to sort his life out, he’s got to see a counsellor or something. He’s got to sort it out because I haven’t spoken to him for 20 years,’ said O’Sullivan.
‘I played with him when he was a kid and shared a lot of stuff with him.
‘For him to come out and try to trash talk me like that, do you know what? He can have one of them (middle finger), he can sit on it as far as I’m concerned.’
O’Sullivan and Carter are back at the Masters, which starts on Sunday at Alexandra Palace, with the Rocket taking on John Higgins and the Captain facing Mark Selby in their openers.
They are on the same side of the draw this time and would meet in the semi-finals if they get that far.
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