RONNIE O’SULLIVAN gave fierce rival Ali Carter a surprisingly warm greeting ahead of their World Snooker Championship clash.
The rivals were drawn in the opening round of the historic tournament last week.
REUTERSRonnie O’Sullivan locked horns with Ali Carter in their World Snooker Championship opener[/caption]
ReutersThe pair are fierce rivals[/caption]
GETTYThe pair put their differences aside for a brief handshake[/caption]
And ahead of Tuesday’s tussle at the Crucible, Snooker fans around the world were wondering if the pair would put their feud to one side.
The duo were cordial with one another before their match got underway.
But rather than fist-bump his opponents, O’Sullivan extended a handshake out to Carter.
And Carter sportingly accepted the offer of a handshake from the seven-time world champion.
BBC cameras failed to capture the moment, much to the frustration of snooker fans.
But co-commentator Stephen Hendry informed viewers of the pair’s embrace live on air.
He said: “They shook hands, not the normal fist bump that Ronnie gives.
“Quite a warm handshake. That’s good to see.”
Inside Ronnie O’Sullivan’s ‘Snotgate’ rivalry
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN’S bitter feud with Ali Carter hit the headlines after the 2024 Masters final, which the world No1 won 10-7.
As they walked past each other, the Rocket shoulder barged his rival in shocking scenes.
After the match, Carter added fuel to the fire as he alleged O’Sullivan violently cleared his nose and labelled him “disgusting”.
He added: It’s outrageous behaviour from a top professional. If it gets swept under the carpet then for me, it’s not good.
“Did we have any words of exchange? No. I’ve got no words for him at all.”
O’Sullivan responded, putting his middle finger up in a press conference while saying: “For him to come out and try to trash talk me like that, do you know what? He can have one of them.
“He can sit on it as far as I’m concerned. I don’t give a f***. 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***. The more he brings it on, the more I f***ing punish him every time.”
O’Sullivan and Carter used to be close practice partners when they were teenagers in Essex.
But their friendship went out the window when Carter got the better of ‘The Rocket’ at the 2018 World Snooker Championship.
Carter, 45, recalled: “We touched shoulders. There’s plenty of room. I’m thinking, ‘Does he want me to get out of the way?’ I was aware there was no giving way.
“The referee said, ‘Calm down lads’ and I did play a bit of a game.
“I thought I’m not going to let him have the last word.
“He said, ‘I’m cool as a cucumber’, but he looked like he wanted to kill me. He looked absolutely raging.
“He said, ‘That’s because you’re Mr Angry.’ I said, ‘Thank you’.”
During an appearance on Stephen Hendry’s Cue Tips, he added: “He used to come over to Witham and we practised together. When, all of a sudden, we’re competitors, I’d find times where he wouldn’t say hello.
“I don’t know too much about him. I hold no malice now. I’m not around him enough for him to feature in my life.
“We know he’s a great player. As to anything else, I let people make their own minds up. Whatever you say, the staunch Ronnie fans will always slaughter you.
“Ronnie uses his authority to say, ‘This is my table, you’re just taking part’. You constantly feel him there. Fair enough, if that’s what he feels he needs to do to win.
“I’ve played Mark Williams and John Higgins many times and with those guys it’s a fair game. There’s none of that nonsense involved.”
GettyRonne O’Sullivan traditionally fist bumps his opponents[/caption]
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