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Carter takes aim at O'Sullivan's mental state as snooker feud turns ugly / Photo: © AFP
Carter takes aim at O'Sullivan's mental state as snooker feud turns ugly
Ali Carter has called into question seven-time snooker world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan's mental well-being as a nasty feud between the pair rumbles on.
O'Sullivan continued his dominance over Carter by winning the Masters final 10-7 in London on Sunday, but the match was overshadowed by controversial comments made by both players afterwards.
Carter claimed O'Sullivan had "snotted on the floor" during their match at Alexandra Palace and labelled vocal supporters of his opponent "morons" for calling out while Carter was taking shots.
O'Sullivan, who at 48 is still ranked world number one, responded with an expletive-ridden rant taking aim at Carter.
"It makes no difference to me what he says. He says different things on different days. I don't think he even knows what is going to come out of his mouth at certain times," Carter told ITV ahead of his first-round match at the Grand Prix event in Leicester.
"I actually feel a bit sorry for him. I don't think he is that well, mentally. So we move forward and we go again this week."
A heated long-running rivalry between the pair previously boiled over during their 2018 World Championship match when O'Sullivan barged into Carter at the table.
The World Snooker Tour said on Tuesday that O'Sullivan's outburst was "under review" without commenting further.
In 2022, O'Sullivan was fined £4,000 for bringing the game into disrepute for making a "lewd and offensive gesture" on two occasions at that year's World Championship and the 2021 UK Championship.
S. Sokolow--BTZ
