Ronnie O’Sullivan pauses World Championship match to speak to snooker fan ‘clapping like a seal’ in Crucible crowd
RELAXED Ronnie O’Sullivan had a laugh and a joke with Crucible punters as he moved into the last eight of the World Snooker Championship.
The Rocket, 48, interacted with fans in the first frame of the third session of his second-round tie with Ryan Day.
In Frame 17, the Essex potter cleared up the colours as he came from 35-57 points down to take an 11-6 lead on Monday afternoon.
Yet after potting the green with the rest, he could not resist sharing a few words with those seated in the front row of this famous old Sheffield theatre.
O’Sullivan, 48, said: “She got a bit excited, she’d probably never been to a snooker match before and she was clapping on her own for 25 seconds.
“I told her to calm down a little bit, I didn’t want her to think I was telling her off. I gave her a little smile at the end to show I wasn’t out to get her.”
It was an unusual sight, especially as his concentration in matches is traditionally laser-sharp, almost unbreakable.
But it speaks to his approach this year, which appears to be more laid-back than usual as he chases a historic eighth-world crown.
On the interaction, Day added: “It was nothing. One woman at the front was a bit excited shall we say.
“She was clapping like a seal at feeding time at the zoo. She was the only one I the whole place who was clapping like that. It was a split second of laughter.”
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O’Sullivan ended up winning 13-7 to reach a 22nd World Champ quarter-final in this tournament in 32 outings.
In the final frame, O’Sullivan put down a marker with an impressive score of 120 to Day’s 0.
His next opponent will be a qualifier in the shape of either Stuart Bingham or Jack Lisowski – that concludes tonight with Ball Run 9-7 up heading into the evening session.
Day, 44, talked pre-match about the scars that this place can have on you when you lose and he will return home to Wales for the off-season with plenty of regrets.
Dynamite had many chances to win multiple frames across the two days.
'Smoking too much weed and bulk-buying too much Smirnoff' - Inside Ronnie O'Sullivan's yo-yo health battle
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN’S snooker career almost went up in smoke after buying “too much weed and Smirnoff.”
Ronnie has long linked his performances on the baize with the ups and down in his diet and exercise regime.
The Rocket he has suffered a lifetime of yo-yoing weight, addiction and mental health struggles, and an often unhealthy relationship with food and fitness.
O’Sullivan ballooned to 16st on vodka and takeaways as a troubled teen, while “puffing like a maniac”.
Then, after turning his life around, he even saw his form decline after doing to TOO MUCH exercise.
Now right back to his best, the seven-time world champion has opened up on his struggles.
Click here to read more about Ronnie’s incredible life…
If only he had not given away so many sloppy shots to an opponent of the calibre of the world No.1.
And though he may not have beaten O’Sullivan over the best of 25 frames had he been more clinical, he should have made it a more competitive affair.
Twelfth seed Kyren Wilson reached the next round with a 13-6 win over qualifier Joe O’Connor.
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