Ronnie O'Sullivan out of World Championship after angry exchange with Ali Carter
"That's for being Mr Angry," says Ronnie O'Sullivan to opponent Ali Carter after appearing to barge into him; Carter goes on to win match 13-9 at the Crucible
By Sky Sports News
Last Updated: 28/04/18 7:25pm
Ronnie O'Sullivan clashed with Ali Carter at the Crucible as the five-time winner was knocked out of the World Snooker Championship.
Title favourite O'Sullivan snapped at Carter in the 19th frame of the second-round match in Sheffield on Saturday, describing the 38-year-old as "Mr Angry" after also appearing to barge into him.
Carter went on to clinch a 13-9 victory, his first over O'Sullivan in a major tournament.
O'Sullivan had just fluked a snooker when he and Carter collided at the side of the table and once back in his seat, O'Sullivan said: "That's for being Mr Angry."
He then told Carter it was his turn to play, sparking Carter to respond: "Thank you very much, very nice of you."
"Stop being angry then," O'Sullivan added.
Referee Paul Collier intervened and told the duo: "Right fellas, just play on", with O'Sullivan then saying he was "cool as a cucumber".
If someone's going to shoulder barge into me, do I have to walk around him, tiptoe or do a little curtsy as if he's the Queen? Sometimes you have to stand your ground. I'm not a limbo dancer you know.
Ronnie O'Sullivan
O'Sullivan trailed 11-9 at the mid-session interval but had looked in poor form, losing the next two frames as Carter secured the win with breaks of 51 in each of them.
O'Sullivan later blamed lack of space in the Crucible for the altercation with Carter.
"Sometimes you just touch each other," he said. "It's nothing, it's heat-of-the-moment stuff."
He said it was important to "make a bit of a joke of the situation."
Carter said: "The win's a great win. I've the utmost respect for Ronnie." And when asked about the incident in the 19th frame, Carter added: "He didn't exactly headbutt me. He didn't go too far.
"I didn't take it as anything. He's picking up my vibe. I was putting it on him big time in this match and Ronnie's very, very clever in all aspects, you have to be to be as successful as he has.
"It put a bit of spice in it but it didn't derail me. We're competitors. I'm not interested in being friends with anyone on the tour."
O'Sullivan was asked whether he would apologise to Carter and whether he thought he would be fined over the incident.
"I don't think there's anything to apologise about. I wished him good luck for the rest of the tournament. There's no hard feeling there," he said.
"They can send a letter to my lawyer and they can happily deal with it. For me, I've moved on.
"Have you never been angry in your life? We all get angry sometimes. If someone's going to shoulder barge into me, do I have to walk around him, tiptoe or do a little curtsy as if he's the Queen? Sometimes you have to stand your ground. I'm not a limbo dancer you know."
Carter will now play either Mark Williams or Robert Milkins in the quarter-finals of the competition.
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