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O'Sullivan in dramatic UK walkout O'Sullivan sorry for UK walkout
(about 1 hour 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 has apologised after walking out of his Maplin UK Championship quarter-final against Stephen Hendry on Thursday.
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.
O'Sullivan said: "At this moment I am feeling disappointed with myself and I am hurt and numb."
"But I am a fighter and I will be back on my feet fighting stronger and harderthan ever very soon."
O'Sullivan walks out of UK Championship
O'Sullivan was 24 points ahead in the sixth frame when he missed an attempted pot and immediately declared the match over, shaking the hand of Hendry and referee Jan Verhaas.
He said in a statement afterwards: "I had a bad day in the office.
"Anyone who knows me knows I'm a perfectionist when it comes to my game and today I got so annoyed with myself that I lost my patience and walked away from a game that, with hindsight, I should have continued.
If he's got problems I feel for him, but I've never seen anything like it in my life Stephen Hendry
"I wish I could have given Steven a better game and I'm sorry I didn't stickaround to sharpen him up for his semi-final.
"I'm also really sorry to let down the fans who came to see me play - itwasn't my intention to disappoint them and for that I am truly apologetic."
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
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
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'.
606: DEBATE I sincerely hope he's got a good explanation for this GS 606: Have your say606: 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."
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'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 directorI 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'SullivanMaybe 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.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."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." "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.
We are completely in the dark as to the reasons behind Ronnie's departure A spokesman from O'Sullivan's management teamWe 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."
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."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.""They will also be offered tickets for tomorrow's snooker."