Ronnie O’Sullivan smashed balls all over the table after the ref’s blunder in the 6-0 Mark Selby hammering.
Ronnie O’Sullivan endured a rare drubbing by Mark Selby in the Players Championship quarter-finals—and the Rocket’s unusual behavior in the opening frame set the tone for the evening.
Ronnie O’Sullivan smashed up the reds, much to the surprise of snooker spectators, due to a referee blunder during the Players Championship.
Mark Selby defeated the Rocket 6-0 in Telford, ending his 16-match winning streak. After defeating Zhou Yuelong on Tuesday, O’Sullivan failed to win a single frame against the four-time champion.
And it was evident from the first frame that the 48-year-old was not going to have a good night. O’Sullivan attempted a difficult pot and fouled three times in a row, which would have resulted in his losing the frame under normal conditions.
However, he was assisted by referee Desislava Bozhilova, who was supposed to warn him after two misses but failed to do so. Despite the fortuitous escape, O’Sullivan used an unusual approach, scattering the balls with a shot and hope, allowing Selby to clean up.
Fans on social media were angry by the series of events, saying, “Ruined the match” and “The referee should get fined for her mistaken judge of errors.”
Others made comments such as: “After a screw up by the ref, from there, it was all downhill for some reason,” adding, “Ronnie is his own worst enemy.”
Selby, however, was unconcerned, capitalizing on the momentum to score massive breaks and win the game in a closer final frame. His wife Vikki and daughter Sofia supported him on the entire way.
He later said, “It’s Sofia’s half-term. It was a big game against Ronnie, and Sofia wanted to be there. This is one of my better performances versus Ronnie.
“Beating him the way I did makes me very happy. This could be the spark I need for the season. I am really satisfied. It was very much flawless.”
