- The snooker legend is through to the semi-final of the Masters tournament
- He defeated Barry Hawkins 6-3 and apologised for dragging down his opponent
- The iconic Ally Pally venue was the site to Luke Littler’s incredible recent run
Ronnie O’Sullivan has claimed he cannot stand the iconic Alexandra Palace as ‘everywhere is dirty and cold’.
The snooker legend is through to the semi-finals of the Masters tournament after his win on Thursday.
He defeated Barry Hawkins 6-3 and bizarrely apologised to his opponent after the game for ‘dragging him down’.
But despite his good form at the tournament and love of the Ally Pally crowds, it appears not all is sweet in the O’Sullivan camp.
Speaking after his match, he said: ‘I just don’t like this place, I find it disgusting. Everywhere is dirty, cold, I’m freezing. I have to sit here in my coat.
‘Everywhere you go, you’re going through car parks, there are bins.
‘I don’t know if you’ve seen up there, there’s food and stuff and it makes me feel ill to be honest with you.
‘I’m a clean freak. When I come here, it gives me the heebie-jeebies and I can’t wait to get out of here. I’m sorry, that’s just how I feel.’
The Masters has been held at Alexandra Palace since 2012, with crowds at the tournament the largest of any UK snooker event.
The North London building, which dates back to 1875, was also the site of 16-year-old Luke Littler’s sensational run to the World Darts Championship final just over a week ago.
Earlier this week, O’Sullivan urged the youngster to ‘keep your feet on the ground’ and surround himself with a trustworthy mentor after his meteoric rise to fame this month.
O’Sullivan knows all about the trappings of teenage fame as he was just 17 when he became the youngest UK Championship winner in history back in 1993.
And he admitted he should have followed the path of his former rival Stephen Hendry and hired a good manager to avoid going off the rails.
‘I think if I had my time again, I’d probably take the [Stephen] Hendry route and just be always around an Alex Ferguson-type figure,’ the seven-time world champion told SportBoom.com.
‘I’d definitely choose to do things differently. So, just keep your feet on the ground if you can and just keep good people around.’
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
