Ronnie O’Sullivan and Hossein Vafaei quashed whatever beef they may have had, after hugging it out following the conclusion of their second round match at the World Snooker Championship.
The game was finished with a session to spare, after O’Sullivan reeled off seven frames in a row for a 13-2 hammering of the 28-year-old Iranian.
Vafaei began the rivalry last year, saying that O’Sullivan should ‘retire’, after what he felt were disrespectful comments from the snooker legend, before saying that he needed to shut O’Sullivan’s mouth prior to their second round meeting.
However, the two were smiling and joking at the end of the game, and their post-match comments showed the world that whatever ‘beef’ they had was not particularly personal and really just part of the game.
O’Sullivan also showed his lighter side, as he could not hold back from slipping in a friendly dig at the younger player.
It’s not a personal thing, it just helps me. You don’t get personal with this game. He’s a world class player.
He’s still young, I know he doesn’t look young, but he is so he’s got a great future ahead of him.
Hossein Vafaei also clarified his actions, pointing out that the sport needs these rivalries to stir interest.
This sport needs characters, needs someone to say something, otherwise it’s going to be very boring. At least people enjoyed it.
Ronnie O’Sullivan And Hossein Vafaei Make Up
Hossein Vafaei tries to make a point with a reckless break in reference to what Ronnie O’Sullivan once did to him in 2021 and then has a wry smile.
The Rocket then needs just one visit to move 2-0 up. Strange decision. pic.twitter.com/v0uUNx4JZ1
— Chris Hammer (@ChrisHammer180) April 21, 2023
“A ???????????????????????? ???????????????? way to end.” ????
Ronnie O’Sullivan v Hossein Vafaei ends on a note of mutual respect ????@WeAreWST | #CazooWorldChampionship pic.twitter.com/e94AVa1nrC
— Eurosport (@eurosport) April 22, 2023
‘He beat Ding [Junhui] in the first round,’ added O’Sullivan.
‘Anyone who beats Ding has to play well. He’s a world-class player. And he beat him comfortably. He’s young, I know he doesn’t look that young, but he’s got time on his side.
‘He can win this tournament, no doubt about that. Every player who was here from the first round is capable of winning this tournament.
‘It’s not a personal thing. When people doubt me – and I said don’t doubt me, I’ll tell you when I’m done – when I hear people doubt me, and it’s not necessarily Hossein, it could be the commentators or a very good friend of mine I take it as a motivation that I need to prove that I’m still good.
‘That I can still play this game. It’s not a personal thing. It helps me sometimes.When Hossein said that, it was like okay, in the back of my mind, it helped me in a way.
‘It’s never personal, no. You don’t get personal with this game. It’s the game we try to master.’
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