Competition at the highest levels in sport can understandably deliver moments of frustration, and Ronnie O’Sullivan is no stranger to this.
The snooker legend arrived at the iconic Crucible Theatre in Sheffield for the 2002 World Championships as the reigning titleholder.
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With the blue ball in his sights, O’Sullivan took aim but missedCredit: @drhealer35 TikTok
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He then threw his cue into the air in frustrationCredit: @drhealer35 TikTok
O’Sullivan overcame Drew Henry and Robert Milkins to reach his sixth quarter-final in the competition where he would face Stephen Lee.
They contested a best-of-25 frames match across three sessions, the second of which produced a bizarre moment.
With the blue ball in position for one of the centre pockets, O’Sullivan was narrowly wide of the mark and missed his shot.
He cut a frustrated figure and threw his cue stick into the air having allowed Lee to return to the table.
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O’Sullivan tried to catch it on its decent but the bottom end hit the tablecloth, causing the playing surface to rip.
It was an accidental loss of control and he attempted to wipe away the damage swiftly after.
However, it caused a break in play as attendants had to fix the now faulty cloth to ensure there was a level playing field.
All four sides of the table were taken off completely and the green fabric was changed before the quarter-final continued.
Whilst such a delay may have thrown off some players, this wasn’t the case for O’Sullivan as he regained composure with his cue.
The then 26-year-old beat Lee by 13 frames to ten to reach the semi-finals of the World Championship for a fourth time in five years.
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The bottom of the cue landed onto the cloth and damaged itCredit: @drhealer35 TikTok
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O’Sullivan was then seen trying to wipe it awayCredit: @drhealer35 TikTok
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However, officials were called in to change the surfaceCredit: @drhealer35 TikTok
But a 17-13 defeat to eventual runner-up Stephen Hendry spelled the end of his tournament and title defence.
O’Sullivan went on to win the competition another six times though, with his last triumph coming in 2022.
The seven-time world champion is currently fourth in the snooker world rankings and was due to play at the World Open this weekend.
However, he has withdrawn for medical reasons and been replaced by Daniel Womersley, who faces Stuart Carrington in the opening round.
Speaking recently on his health via the BBC, O’Sullivan said: “I’ve been trying to prioritise my health and wellbeing, which sometimes means making last-minute decisions not to play.
“It’s never an easy decision and I hate letting people down.
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O’Sullivan remains as one of the greatest snooker players in the worldCredit: Getty
“I realise plenty of people who bought tickets to some recent snooker events will have been frustrated when I withdrew, so I just wanted to say sorry.
“I’m doing what I can to get back to my best, and I’m grateful for all your support and understanding.”
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Publish date : 2025-02-22 00:59:00
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