Snooker rival told me I’m ‘nice when I’m asleep’ but I’ll still hug him after grudge match, says Ronnie O’Sullivan

RONNIE O’SULLIVAN says negative comments from rivals “fire him up” – but he expects to hug Hossein Vafaei after their Grudge Match.

Trash-talking Vafaei, 28, this week launched an explosive attack on O’Sullivan before Friday’s second-round encounter at the World Snooker Championship.

2

2

The Iranian sarcastically said the Rocket, 47, is “such a nice person when he is asleep” and that the world No.1 used to be his hero but not anymore.

The Prince of Persia claimed he felt “disrespected” when O’Sullivan smashed up the balls like a pool player in the final frame of his 5-0 drubbing in qualifying for the German Masters in October 2021.

In response, O’Sullivan attempted to take the sting out of this tie, insisting he has never once tried to disrespect his opponent.

In an interview with Eurosport, the reigning world champion said: “I don’t take the comments personally.

“Sometimes I need someone to doubt me or question whether I can still do it.

“I like having something to prove but I don’t make it a personal thing. I just use it to fire myself up.

“Could I be a nicer person? I don’t know. Listen, I try to help all of the players on the circuit.

“If you ask a lot of the pros, pros that are winning world championships that are my rivals, I give them advice.

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023

“I text them and say: ‘You are too good to not be winning as many tournaments as you should, I think you should be trying this or trying that.’

“It’s well documented that I open myself up to that and I like to do that because it’s good to share.

“I did the same with Hossein earlier on in his career, so it is what it is. Some of the comments kind of didn’t make sense.”

Several pros were surprised that Vafaei went after O’Sullivan in such a public manner.

Mark Williams, the three-time world snooker champion, reckons he will pay the price for taking a swipe and “waking the beast”.

O’Sullivan continued: “(Vafaei) said that I had maybe disrespected his family? I don’t know how I can be blamed for that.

“Listen, I knew something was going on two years ago when the behaviour (from Vafaei) changed towards me.

“I have learned that sometimes we say things in the heat of the moment that we don’t mean it or need it to fire ourselves up. That’s okay.

“I don’t have any revenge in me, I just like to play the game and to compete and to enjoy the match.

“I don’t get involved in those battles because it’s not worth it. We are here to play a game and play snooker.

“I don’t think I have said anything to personalise things. I’m sure we will hug and make up at some point.

“If I don’t go on and win the tournament then I would love to see him go on and win the tournament.

“It would probably be the best thing for snooker and would do great for the game. It is his chance to make himself a superstar.”

Watch the Snooker World Championship LIVE on Eurosport and discovery+ with analysis from Ronnie O’Sullivan, Jimmy White and Alan McManus.