12 January 2024 , 10:08
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Ronnie O'Sullivan has criticised the state of Alexandra Palace after he progressed through to the semi-final of the Masters, claiming the iconic London venue is "dirty" and "disgusting".
The seven-time Masters champion booked his place in the last four of the competition after beating Barry Hawkins 6-3 in an error-filled affair. O'Sullivan is set to face Shaun Murphy in the semi-final on Friday evening.
After his victory over Hawkins, O'Sullivan launched a scathing attack on the condition of Ally Pally, which has also hosted the PDC World Darts Championship within the last month.
"I just don't like this place to be honest with you, I just find it disgusting," O'Sullivan said. "Everywhere is just dirty, it's cold, I’m freezing. I have to sit here in my coat.
"Everywhere you go, you're going through car parks, it's bins. I don't know if you've seen over there [media catering area] there's leftover food and stuff and it makes me feel ill to be honest with you.
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"I'm a bit of a clean freak. Coming here gives me the heebie jeebies and I can't wait to get out of here to be honest. I'm sorry, that's just how I feel."
The Masters has been played at Ally Pally since 2012 and the Grade II listed building has hosted the tournament in every year apart from 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Following O'Sullivan's comments, the World Snooker Tour said: "We work alongside Alexandra Palace to provide the best possible conditions for players on and off the table.
Ronnie O'Sullivan has blasted Masters venue Alexandra Palace (Adam Davy/PA Wire)"All other players have spoken with unanimous positivity about the venue. Fans love coming here. This is underlined by record ticket sales and the fact that all standard admission seats sold out ahead of this year's tournament."
Meanwhile, an Alexandra Palace spokesperson added: "We love hosting the Masters and welcoming all the players and fans to the Palace. We work tirelessly to provide an arena and atmosphere that this great event deserves.
"We’ve been proud of the overwhelming positive feedback the venue has received in recent years, and it’s obviously disappointing that Ronnie feels differently. We hope we can change his mind and that he enjoys the rest of his tournament here."
Earlier this week, O'Sullivan slammed the Ally Pally crowd after his first round win over Ding Junhui. "I embrace the pressure," O’Sullivan said. "I embrace all that stuff that comes with being a winner.
"I embrace it as a privilege. It’s what you need to win. I’ve reinvented myself over the years and that’s what I’ve had to do. I don’t like the rowdiness of the Ally Pally crowd really, but you have to embrace it. It’s a part of it."