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'OH S***'
Emotional Ronnie O’Sullivan offers to replay controversial English Open win, after benefiting from an unseen foul
Famously honest Rocket was distressed at realising he had made the sixth-frame mistake and offered a rematch
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN has offered to replay his controversial English Open win over Chinese teenager Luo Honghao after benefiting from an unseen foul.
The five-time world champion last night beat World No105 Luo 5-3 to reach the semi-finals in Crawley.
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Yet in the key sixth frame – with the defending champion trailing 3-2 – the Rocket accidentally caught another red with his cue as he pulled back the cue and rest to avoid touching the white.
O’Sullivan, who has a reputation for displays of honesty during matches, did not call the foul and it was not seen by the referee.
The 42-year-old was branded a “cheat” on social media but he refuted those accusations on .
When told about it afterwards, he replied: “Oh, s***! I didn’t even see that in a million years. I’m devastated.
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“When you use the rest you don’t feel it. You would with a cue. I’m looking where the white is going. I’m not looking at the rest.
“I’d happily play another best-of-nine game. If that keeps everyone happy, I’d do it. I’m not a mercenary. I enjoy competing. But I want to win in the right manner.
“There’s nothing you can do about social media, let them have their opinion. 99 per cent of snooker fans have watched my career over the past 26 years and know I have owned up to a foul when it hasn’t even been one.
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“People will say stuff but what can you do? It was a freak thing that no-one noticed.”
Luo claims he didn’t see the foul and refused the chance to replay the game.
He said: “It’s gone now. It’s not important anymore.”
The talented 18-year-old, a 500-1 tournament outsider at the start of the week, only turned pro this year.
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But he is quickly developing a name for himself as the ‘Beethoven of the Baize’ given he ditched a promising future playing the piano for the snooker cue.
O’Sullivan said: “This kid will be mental in 2-3 years. He must have a serious brain up there because he’s almost a master on the piano.
“I told him at the end he is special, a great talent and will be a world champion one day.”
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