All posts tagged: O’Sullivan

Ronnie O’Sullivan shows touch of ‘evil’ to dominate John Higgins

Ronnie O’Sullivan shows touch of ‘evil’ to dominate John Higgins

Published by Sam Flores

Welcome to live coverage of the snooker World Championship from The Telegraph as Ronnie O’Sullivan takes on John Higgins in the second round. The pair meet in the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield as they meet for the first time in over two years. The match-up saw O’Sullivan a 4-0 winner against the Scottish former world No. 1 at the World Masters, but this best-of-25 is not so likely to be as one-sided. Both are now veterans of the sport, amongst a handful of players who have won each of the Triple Crown events. At 50, O’Sullivan is back in contention for his eighth world championship. With seven under his belt in his career so far, he currently shares the record of seven with former foe Stephen Hendry, though the pair now have a far warmer relationship. Higgins and O’Sullivan have a competitive rivalry going back to October 1994, when Higgins secured his own whitewash, a 5-0 win at the Grand Prix. O’Sullivan has been missing from several high profile fixtures over the last season, preferring …

Shaun Murphy criticises Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump’s conduct before World Snooker Championship

Shaun Murphy criticises Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump’s conduct before World Snooker Championship

Published by Sam Flores

Shaun Murphy has criticised fellow former world champions Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump for missing the launch of the 2026 World Championship in Sheffield. This year’s players gathered in Tudor Square outside the Crucible Theatre on Friday for a green-carpet ceremony celebrating the relationship between snooker and Sheffield, before media commitments with press and broadcasters inside the venue. But O’Sullivan and Trump did not appear and unless they can provide a valid reason for their absence, such as a medical issue, they face a sanction from the World Snooker Tour. Murphy said: “I think it’s become normal that they don’t turn up for these types of things. I think it’s a real shame, and they probably could both have done a little bit more to help promote the game over the years. “I think it might give those two an image problem when the public tag onto that and realise that two of the biggest stars of the game weren’t here for the opening day. It’s a strange one.” Shaun Murphy has criticised Ronnie O’Sullivan …

Ronnie O’Sullivan walks out minutes after start of World Open match with bizarre complaint

Ronnie O’Sullivan walks out minutes after start of World Open match with bizarre complaint

Published by Sam Flores

Ronnie O’Sullivan walked out during the first frame of his World Open match against Ross Muir because a sponsorship logo on his waistcoat appeared to be distracting him. The “Rocket” was put off by the red advert stitched to the right side of his chest when lining up a black, midway through a break during his first-round match. He briefly scratched at the patch in an attempt to remove it before exiting the auditorium, causing a delay of several minutes. Muir was left confused in his seat until O’Sullivan returned, following some alterations, to claim the first frame on his way to a 5-1 win in Yushan, China. Ronnie O’Sullivan was distracted by a sponsorship logo (Danny Lawson/PA Wire) Despite the irritation caused by his garment – he continued to fiddle with his waistcoat as the match progressed – O’Sullivan played well in his first tournament appearance since the World Grand Prix in early February. The seven-time world champion, 50, polished off the victory against Scotland’s Muir with consecutive centuries. The opening frame had already …