RONNIE: I’M NO BULLY
O’sullivan reacts angrily to social-media flak after his latest rumpus with ref
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN dismissed “bullying” claims after he crashed out of this year’s World Championship.
It was uncomfortable viewing as the Rocket, 48, twice clashed with referee Desislava Bozhilova (below) during his shock 13-10 quarter-final defeat by Stuart Bingham at the Crucible.
The seven-time champion was branded a bully on social media after his latest ref row.
He disagreed with the Bulgarian official’s spotting of the black ball and refused to pot a simple red, an act which was hailed by former world champion Neil Robertson as “the greatest sportsmanship I’ve ever seen”.
But the rattled Rocket told her to “chill” as he grew increasingly irritable in the final session.
Bozhilova asked O’sullivan to take his shot as he waited in his seat for spectators, who were returning to the arena in his eyeline, to sit down.
BBC pundit Ken Doherty (right), the 1997 Crucible champion, said he was “well within his rights” to wait.
“I won’t be commenting on players or referees,” stressed O’sullivan, whose bid for a record eighth world title will have to wait another year.
“It’s not worth it. I’ll keep silent on that sort of stuff. I won’t comment on players and I won’t comment on referees. I just leave it as it is. My life’s too good and I don’t need the hassle. Did I seem agitated? I think it’s great. I like the fire. A lot of the time I haven’t had the fire because I’ve not really felt like I’ve wanted to hit a ball.”
The Rocket is never short of controversy and his long list of run-ins with officials is well documented.
He famously pointed at ref
Olivier Marteel and said “don’t start” during his Crucible final with Judd Trump two years ago.
Earlier in his career, O’sullivan was disciplined when he butted heads with ref Terry Camilleri at the Masters and was fined after being caught making a lewd gesture at the World Championship. He said: “To be honest with you, I think some of the refs have got it in for me.
“I just wanted to prove to her that she got it wrong. I didn’t feel good about potting the ball after that but I just wanted to make the point.
“The point was made. I’m not that hungry to win it in that way so once the principle’s been made I can sleep at night.”
The shock defeat by Bingham will probably be O’sullivan’s last match in the UK until November as he embarks on an exhibition roadshow. The Rocket will jet out and tour China to play Ding Junhui (below) in a string of high-profile matches.
He will return to Europe for shows in Finland and Bulgaria before gearing up for July’s Shanghai Masters.
O’sullivan has lucrative sponsorship deals in China and signed a multi-millionpound ambassadorial contract with Saudi Arabia earlier this month.
The Chigwell ace, who has slipped to world No.4, said: “I’m looking forward to going to China in 10 days and playing Ding in some challenge matches. I’ll be away for three weeks doing my work stuff out there, then off to Finland for three nights, then Bulgaria. A busy three or four weeks playing, which is great, then I’ll take three weeks off before getting my cue out for the Shanghai Masters.”