15 January 2024 , 22:30
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Ronnie O'Sullivan has launched a withering attack on bitter rival Ali Carter, demanding the beaten Masters finalist "sort his f***ing life out" in an extraordinary press conference.
Speaking after his 10-7 victory over Carter in Sunday's showpiece, O'Sullivan unleashed an expletive-laden tirade which is set to land him in hot water with snooker chiefs, including brandishing his middle finger.
The 48-year-old defied his age to win a record-extending eighth Masters crown as he came from 6-3 down to see off Carter at Alexandra Palace.
Carter slammed some members of the crowd at Ally Pally as "morons", and also alleged O'Sullivan had "snotted on the floor" during the match.
“He needs to sort his f***ing life out,” blasted O'Sullivan. "I’m not going to skirt around it anymore, tip-toeing on egg shells around someone like that. He’s a f***ing nightmare. Playing snooker against someone like that is a nightmare.
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“He’s not a nice person. It’s not a nice vibe he leaves around the table. I’ve said my piece, I don’t give a s**t. I’ve said it now, done. 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**k, I don’t give a f**k about any of these snooker players, any of them.
O'Sullivan celebrated his eighth Masters win (Getty Images)“The more he brings it on, the more I f***ing punish him every time. He’s just digging a grave for himself. I don’t give a f**k. That’s it, I’ve said my piece.”
O'Sullivan and Carter have clashed regularly over the course of their careers, most notably at the Crucible in 2018. The duo barged into one another during their World Championship clash, which ended in a rare victory for Carter against his adversary.
Tempers also flared during Sunday's match, as Carter made his frustrations known at members of the crowd who were calling out while he was down on a shot.
O’Sullivan added: “He’s got beef with me. He’s got issues, he’s got to sort his life out, he’s got to see a counsellor or something. He’s got to deal with that because that’s no good. He’s got to sort it out, because I haven’t spoken to him for 20 years.
O'Sullivan's rant came in an extraordinary post-match press conference (Getty Images)“I played with him when he was a kid and shared a lot of stuff with him. For him to come out and try to trash talk me like that, do you know what? He can have one of them [middle finger], he can sit on it as far as I’m concerned.”
O'Sullivan's win means he has the chance to triumph in all three of snooker's Triple Crown events in the same season for the first time in his career when the World Championship takes place in the spring.
Glory in Sheffield would also take the Rocket, widely recognised as the sport's greatest ever player, to eight world titles, surpassing the record of seven he currently holds alongside Stephen Hendry.
There is no love lost between O'Sullivan and Carter (AFP via Getty Images)After Sunday's clash, Carter grumbled: "There were a couple of things that happened out there that go unnoticed. Well, they don’t go unnoticed but anyone with an eyesight or a brain can see what’s going on.
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“It’s disgusting quite frankly. No-one wants to say anything, do they? [Ronnie] snotting all over the floor and all that. I mean it’s outrageous behaviour from a top professional. If it gets swept under the carpet then for me, it’s not good.
“And there were some morons in the crowd. It’s unbelievable really. It is hard enough to beat him, but when you have people shouting on your shot and saying stupid things at important times. My head wanted to come off.”