Snooker followers rage at Ronnie O’Sullivan as £100k prize ‘not price getting away from bed for’
Snooker fans are not happy with seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan, with one branding him an “absolute disgrace” and others giving him a new nickname
Ronnie O’Sullivan has come under fire from snooker fans who have labeled him an ‘absolute disgrace’ after he withdrew at the last minute from the Scottish Open.
Scheduled to compete in Tuesday’s evening session against Xing Zihao at the Meadowbank Sports Centre in Edinburgh, the seven-time world champion unexpectedly pulled out of the tournament. The announcement came less than a day before his match was due to begin, leaving fans and organisers in the lurch.
To fill the gap, Shaun Murphy’s showdown with Daniel Wells was moved to the main table, potentially adding salt to the wounds of ticket-holders who had anticipated watching ‘The Rocket’ in action. This disappointment follows the choices made by Judd Trump and Mark Williams, both snooker heavyweights, to bypass the event, already leaving Edinburgh spectators feeling let down.
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However, it was O’Sullivan’s no-show that sent some fans over the top as they openly voiced their displeasure during the event. As a tribute to O’Sullivan played on the big screen prior to Murphy’s game, some members of the audience expressed their discontent through a chorus of boos, reports the Express.
Following the snooker stars decision to back out of the Scottish competition, supporters were vocal about their frustration concerning his late withdrawal. One fan, who had made a long journey by train from Inverness specifically for O’Sullivan’s fixture, raged online.
They said: “I can’t believe Ronnie has pulled out of the tournament. I got the train from Inverness and have tickets for his opening match. He’s an absolute disgrace for doing this hours before he was meant to play. It cost me a fortune.”
Edinburgh News reported that one angry fan outside the venue quipped that O’Sullivan should be dubbed “Ronnie O’Villain”, adding: “He probably doesn’t think the £100,000 prize money is worth getting out of bed for.”
And in light of previous remarks from O’Sullivan about prize money, there might be some weight to this opinion. The snooker star from London has made it known that he prefers the incentive of hefty purses, especially when it comes to events in far-flung locations like Saudi Arabia and China.
“I’m contracted to do certain events in China, and I’m contracted to go to Saudi, so obviously they’ve got first dibs then it’s about spending time at home with the family,” O’Sullivan said previously.
“If people are prepared to pay it, I’ll get my cue out of my case. If they’re not, I’m content to never ever play again, and move on and do other stuff.”
It is anticipated that O’Sullivan will soon return to the baize in the Middle East, as he sets out to defend his championship title at the upcoming Riyadh Season Snooker Championship.
