Ali Carter has vowed to keep his mouth following his public feud with Ronnie O’Sullivan.
The snooker stars, who used to practice together in their younger days, drifted apart to the point where they were barely on speaking terms. The pair clashed at the 2018 World Championship, with O’Sullivan barging into Carter during a second-round match.
Their feud reignited during the Masters final earlier this year. After Carter, claimed the world number one had “snotted on the floor” during the match at Alexandra Palace, the Rocket blasted back with an astonishing post-match rant after winning 10-7.
O’Sullivan said Carter needed to sort his “f*****g life out” and that he was a “nightmare” to play against. Carter, for his part, has been reluctant to respond to his rival’s tirade.
However, he explained his feelings towards the Rocket during an appearance on Stephen Hendry’s Cue Tips. After joking that O’Sullivan’s name was banned from his snooker room, The Captain, 45, said: “To be fair, I don’t know too much about him, I say what I see.
“I hold no malice now really. I’m not around him enough for him to feature in my life. We know he’s a great snooker player and all that, but as regards to anything else, I couldn’t tell you. I let people make their own minds up. Whatever you say, the staunch Ronnie fans will always slaughter you. I choose to keep my mouth shut.”
On how his previously close relationship with O’Sullivan soured, Carter explained: “We used to practice together loads when I was 16, 17, just turning pro. He used to come over to Witham and he played there every day for quite a few months as far as I can remember and we were practising together.
“[It was] around the time when I went on my run and got to the semis of the Grand Prix and then won the Benson and Hedges Championships [in 1999]. Obviously, he helped me massively.
“I think the more competitive I got, the more the relationship sort of – not went wrong because that’s not the right word – it’s difficult to describe. But, when all of a sudden we’re competitors, I’d find times where he wouldn’t say hello.”