Ronnie O’Sullivan blasted by Scottish Open opponent over ‘disrespect’ before tie
Ronnie O’Sullivan has been slammed as “disrespectful” after he pulled out on the opening morning of the Scottish Open. The Rocket, who won a record-extending eighth UK Championship earlier this month, was due to face teenage Scot Liam Graham, 19, in the first round in Edinburgh.
But the world No.1 left tournament organisers scrambling to find a last-minute replacement when he withdrew due to “medical reasons” at the eleventh hour.
Home young gun Graham was buzzing for his big day out against the Rocket and an army of friends and family took time off work and travelled to roar him on at the Meadowbank Centre. And the tour rookie, who received a bye into the last 64, blasted: “It’s disrespectful what he’s done, it’s not right.
“A lot of people took time off work to come and watch today and it’s disappointing. At the end of the day I want to play the best players in the world and I was really looking forward to it.
“I had a lot of people coming to watch and it’s really disappointing for them. It’s not surprising given the things he does. I found out when I got to the venue this morning. I didn’t have much prior warning, I think he pulled out very late. I would have stayed at home and all the people who have travelled to watch me would have come another day as well.”
It’s the SIXTH event O’Sullivan has withdrawn from this season as tensions between the game’s biggest star and World Snooker Tour continue to simmer behind the scenes.
The seven-time world champion is currently wrangled in disciplinary proceedings with the WPBSA after scathing comments about the game’s rulers earlier this season.
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He has threatened to quit the sport if he is unable to fulfil lucrative commitments in China and only played the English Open and UK Championship outside of the Far East country this season.
O’Sullivan’s next assignment is the Macau Masters exhibition, which starts on Christmas day, before he guns for an eighth Masters title in January.
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