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O'Sullivan in dramatic UK walkout | O'Sullivan in dramatic UK walkout |
(10 minutes later) | |
Ronnie O'Sullivan stunned the snooker world yet again on Thursday when he conceded his Maplin UK Championship quarter-final to Stephen Hendry. | Ronnie O'Sullivan stunned the snooker world yet again on Thursday when he conceded his Maplin UK Championship quarter-final to Stephen Hendry. |
The former world champion was trailing 4-1 when he dramatically handed victory to his opponent after missing a red. | The former world champion was trailing 4-1 when he dramatically handed victory to his opponent after missing a red. |
Hendry was visibly stunned as O'Sullivan shook his hand and walked out of the Barbican Centre arena. | Hendry was visibly stunned as O'Sullivan shook his hand and walked out of the Barbican Centre arena. |
"He just said he had had enough," said Hendry, who was awarded a 9-1 win. "I had no inkling anything was wrong." | "He just said he had had enough," said Hendry, who was awarded a 9-1 win. "I had no inkling anything was wrong." |
O'Sullivan walks out of UK Championship | O'Sullivan walks out of UK Championship |
Hendry's semi-final opponent in York will be either reigning world champion Graeme Dott or Steve Davis. | Hendry's semi-final opponent in York will be either reigning world champion Graeme Dott or Steve Davis. |
If he's got problems I feel for him, but I've never seen anything like it in my life Stephen Hendry | If he's got problems I feel for him, but I've never seen anything like it in my life Stephen Hendry |
Hendry and O'Sullivan have clashed in the past, but the Scot said there were no longer any problems between the two. | Hendry and O'Sullivan have clashed in the past, but the Scot said there were no longer any problems between the two. |
"There has been no bad feeling between us over the last few days, there is no bad feeling between us anymore anyway," he said. | "There has been no bad feeling between us over the last few days, there is no bad feeling between us anymore anyway," he said. |
"Ronnie's obviously got his reasons and I'm not going to criticise him. | "Ronnie's obviously got his reasons and I'm not going to criticise him. |
"He just said he had had enough and wished me good luck for the rest of the tournament. Only he knows what he feels inside. | "He just said he had had enough and wished me good luck for the rest of the tournament. Only he knows what he feels inside. |
"I can't criticise someone else for that, but I've never seen anything like it. It's just bizarre. | "I can't criticise someone else for that, but I've never seen anything like it. It's just bizarre. |
"I played fantastic for the first four frames and didn't give him many chances, but at 4-1 he was in the balls and I was thinking 'keep concentrating'. | "I played fantastic for the first four frames and didn't give him many chances, but at 4-1 he was in the balls and I was thinking 'keep concentrating'. |
606: DEBATE I sincerely hope he's got a good explanation for this GS 606: Have your say | 606: DEBATE I sincerely hope he's got a good explanation for this GS 606: Have your say |
"He went for a silly red and missed it. Suddenly he shook my hand." | "He went for a silly red and missed it. Suddenly he shook my hand." |
O'Sullivan was 24 points ahead when he missed an attempted pot and immediately declared the match over, shaking the hand of Hendry and referee Jan Verhaas. | O'Sullivan was 24 points ahead when he missed an attempted pot and immediately declared the match over, shaking the hand of Hendry and referee Jan Verhaas. |
"I've been on the end of a few thumpings from him recently and so I was enjoying the game," said Hendry, the world number one. | "I've been on the end of a few thumpings from him recently and so I was enjoying the game," said Hendry, the world number one. |
"I'm not going to lie, it's a good feeling to be in the next round. But I was enjoying the match, playing well and obviously I would much rather have won properly. | "I'm not going to lie, it's a good feeling to be in the next round. But I was enjoying the match, playing well and obviously I would much rather have won properly. |
"If he's got problems I feel for him, but I've never seen anything like it in my life." | "If he's got problems I feel for him, but I've never seen anything like it in my life." |
I asked him if anything was wrong and he said 'no'. He's left the building and it has shocked us all Michael GanleyTournament director | I asked him if anything was wrong and he said 'no'. He's left the building and it has shocked us all Michael GanleyTournament director |
World Snooker's Michael Ganley, the tournament director, confirmed O'Sullivan had conceded the match. | World Snooker's Michael Ganley, the tournament director, confirmed O'Sullivan had conceded the match. |
"I asked him if anything was wrong and he said 'no'. He's left the building and it has shocked us all," said Ganley. | "I asked him if anything was wrong and he said 'no'. He's left the building and it has shocked us all," said Ganley. |
"I've seen players concede at certain stages of the game before, usually through illness. It happens occasionally but it's very rare. | "I've seen players concede at certain stages of the game before, usually through illness. It happens occasionally but it's very rare. |
"Obviously he felt he couldn't continue, maybe for reasons we're not aware of, but he's forfeited the match." | "Obviously he felt he couldn't continue, maybe for reasons we're not aware of, but he's forfeited the match." |
O'Sullivan, a former world champion and world number one, is one of the game's most charismatic figures. | O'Sullivan, a former world champion and world number one, is one of the game's most charismatic figures. |
But the 31-year-old from Essex is also a troubled soul, battling depression and threatening to quit snooker on numerous occasions. | But the 31-year-old from Essex is also a troubled soul, battling depression and threatening to quit snooker on numerous occasions. |
Maybe he should put his cue in the case and leave it there John Parrott on O'Sullivan | |
John Parrott thinks O'Sullivan should quit the game for good if he is unhappy. | |
"Ronnie has got a bit of time now over Christmas to go away and reflect on what he has done here, then maybe he can come back with a fresh approach in the new year," said Parrott, a former world champion who is commentating on the event for BBC Sport. | |
"But if the game is making him miserable and he really doesn?t want to be there, then maybe he should put his cue in the case and leave it there." | |
A spokesman for the 110 Sport management group, who look after O'Sullivan's snooker sponsorships, said: "We are as baffled as anyone. | A spokesman for the 110 Sport management group, who look after O'Sullivan's snooker sponsorships, said: "We are as baffled as anyone. |
We are completely in the dark as to the reasons behind Ronnie's departure A spokesman from O'Sullivan's management team | |
"Other than (O'Sullivan) wishing Stephen all the best for the tournament, and saying to John Carroll (110 Sport's director of snooker) to 'have a nice Christmas', we are completely in the dark as to the reasons behind Ronnie's departure." | "Other than (O'Sullivan) wishing Stephen all the best for the tournament, and saying to John Carroll (110 Sport's director of snooker) to 'have a nice Christmas', we are completely in the dark as to the reasons behind Ronnie's departure." |
A statement from World Snooker revealed spectators who had paid to watch the two sessions of the Hendry-O'Sullivan match would be offered tickets for Friday's semi-final between John Higgins and Peter Ebdon. | A statement from World Snooker revealed spectators who had paid to watch the two sessions of the Hendry-O'Sullivan match would be offered tickets for Friday's semi-final between John Higgins and Peter Ebdon. |
"It is made clear in literature relating to tickets that players appear circumstances permitting," read the statement. | "It is made clear in literature relating to tickets that players appear circumstances permitting," read the statement. |
"Spectators who bought tickets today will be able to watch the match between Graeme Dott and Steve Davis this afternoon and evening. | |
"They will also be offered tickets for tomorrow's snooker." |