Inside snooker’s biggest bust-ups from ‘biggest p****’ Ronnie O’Sullivan’s row to Pot Whack boxing match
SNOOKER is known as a gentlemen’s game, but sometimes table manners go out the window.
Even the sport’s biggest stars have got into a scrape or two, with some relationships going to pot.
From Ronnie O’Sullivan barging into an opponent, to two stars even taking to a boxing ring to settle their beef, there have truly been some mad moments down the years.
Here, SunSport runs through some of snooker‘s most dramatic rivalries.
‘BIGGEST P****’
Last year, Matt Selt made headlines by referring to O’Sullivan as an “absolute c***” and the “biggest p**** on tour” after being heckled by a fan online.
As fate would have it, the pair would meet in the quarter-finals of the Xi’an Grand Prix back in August.
The Rocket, 48, raced into a 4-1 lead, but was made to sweat after being pegged back to 4-4, only to then triumph in the deciding frame.
After the contest, a relieved O’Sullivan admitted: “At 4-4 anything could happen, but Matt deserved to win today, he was the best player by a long way.”
POT WHACK BOUT
In 2004, Quinten Hann and Mark King took to a boxing ring at London’s famous York Hall to settle their aggro.
Hann, now 47, initially challenged rival potter Andy Hicks to a bout – calling him “short and bald”.
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King, also bald, subsequently stepped in – having held a rivalry with Hann since winning £500 from him when the Aussie was just 16.
The six-minute fight, dubbed “Pot Whack”, was a ferocious contest lacking in quality but full of action.
Hann came out on top on points, and after being presented with his victor’s belt by O’Sullivan, admitted: “I don’t like most of the other snooker players.”
RONNIE vs HENDRY
O’Sullivan added extra spice to his World Championship semi-final clash with Stephen Hendry in 2002 after taking exception to being accused of a deliberate miss by the Scot.
Ahead of their final four meeting, the Rocket blasted: “There is not a lot of respect there at all. The most satisfying thing for me would be to send him home to Scotland as quickly as possible for a nice summer off.
“I’ll say hello to him because it’s hard to ignore someone – but he’s not my cup of tea.”
Hendry, now 55, went on to win the contest 17-13, only to agonisingly fall 18-17 to Peter Ebdon in the final.
O’Sullivan went on to apologise for his comments – blaming former boxing world champion Prince Naseem Hamed, more on him later, for getting him so “revved up”.
RONNIE vs CARTER
Sixteen years on from his grudge match with Hendry, O’Sullivan was involved in another bad-tempered Crucible clash, this time with Ali Carter.
The pair had met in the 2008 and 2012 World Championship finals – with Carter still without a competitive victory over the Rocket.
Ahead of their second round meeting, “The Captain” stoked the flames by claiming that “attention seeker” O’Sullivan received special treatment from the powers that be in the sport.
Carter, now 45, would go on to win a tense contest, during which the pair appeared to barge each other, 13-9 – but that wasn’t the end of their beef.
The pair exchanged angry words yet again earlier this year, when Carter accused his rival of “snotting all over the floor” after his 10-7 loss to the Rocket in the Masters final – with O’Sullivan hitting back with an X-rated rant.
‘SAME ROOM AS ME’
Seven years prior to his fiery clash with O’Sullivan, Stephen Hendry was the trash talker after his clash with Mark Johnston-Allen.
Bristolian Johnston-Allen, now 55, proved to be a thorn in Hendry’s side – beating him in their first two professional meetings.
The duo met again at the International Open in 1995, with bogey-man Johnston-Allen once again having Hendry’s number and beating him.
After his defeat, the Scot petulantly blasted: “I keep losing to people who shouldn’t be in the same room as me.”
Johnston-Allen shrugged off the remark – although an embarrassed Hendry did later apologise.
BOXED OUT
Sheffield-born and bred, Prince Naseem Hamed was always going to be into his snooker.
Prior to his friendship with O’Sullivan, the former world champion boxer was actually a big fan of Stephen Hendry.
In 1997 he attended Hendry’s Crucible quarter-final against Darren Morgan… and was even credited with the Scot’s win.
Morgan had led 5-3 after a playing a brilliant first session, but then wilted in front of Naz to lose 13-10.
On his shocking collapse Welshman Morgan, now 58, admitted: “I have never met Hamed and I have nothing against him as a person. He may be a nice bloke for all I know but he just walked in through the curtains with his missus and sat down right at the front. I just felt he was putting me off and putting Stephen into the mode he needed to be in, so I asked politely for him to be moved.”
O’SULLIVAN vs ROBIDOUX
It’s that man Ronnie O’Sullivan once again making our list – this time for winding up Canadian Alain Robidoux back in 1996.
On course for a comfortable Crucible victory, holding an 8-2 lead, the 20-year-old O’Sullivan thrilled the crowd by playing shots left-handed – much to his opponent’s irritation.
Robidoux, now 64, refused to shake O’Sullivan’s hand – going on to accuse his young opponent “showboating” and being “disrespectful”.
Ironically, playing left-handed has gone on to be a regular feature of O’Sullivan’s game, with the Rocket reflecting to Eurosport in 2020: “It just got to the point where I wish I had done it sooner because it was relaxing me.
“Alain didn’t take it too well. I could understand that at the time. But once I started, it soon became acceptable.”
HENDRY vs HEARN
For our final entry it’s that man Hendry again, this time clashing with veteran snooker supremo Barry Hearn.
In 1990, Hearn launched a new World Masters event, modelled on tennis‘ Grand Slam format, to take place in Birmingham the following January.
Hearn, now 76, caused controversy by inviting Alex Higgins to take part – despite the Northern Irishman being banned at the time for disciplinary issues that included punching tournament official Colin Randle during the 1990 World Championship.
Hendry subsequently threatened to boycott the tournament, should Higgins be allowed to participate – eventually getting his way when his rival withdrew.
He went on to win the men’s doubles title – but Hearn’s Birmingham event was not staged again after that year.