Ronnie O’Sullivan slammed by Mark Williams for ‘slagging off the tour’ after World Championships tie

Mark Williams has slammed Ronnie O’Sullivan for his ‘disrespectful’ comments about snooker’s next generation, claiming his old rival ‘always talks nonsense unless he is making nine tons on the trot’.

The pair played out a thrilling World Championship quarter-final clash in Sheffield on Tuesday, with O’Sullivan producing a stunning comeback from 6-2 down to progress 13-10 against his old rival.

As he exited the tournament the Welshman fired a shot at O’Sullivan following his savage comments about the standard of players coming through on the tour.

Mark Williams (R) slammed old rival Ronnie O’Sullivan (L) for his comments about snookers’s about snooker’s next generation following the World Championships quarter-final clash

O’Sullivan said he’d have to ‘lose an arm and a leg to fall outside’ the world’s top 50 in snooker

After beating Ding Junhui to book his quarter-final place, ‘The Rocket’ said younger competitors coming through are ‘not that good really’ when asked how he has had such longevity in his career, and added ‘I’d probably have to lose an arm and a leg to fall outside the top 50.’  

Despite being one of those veterans who has had longevity, Williams was left unimpressed by the comments, telling BBC Radio Wales: ‘I think it’s totally disrespectful.

‘He’s the pioneer for our sport. He’s the main man without doubt and the best player in the world.

O’Sullivan produced a stunning comeback against his fellow veteran to reach the semi-finals

‘You’d never have another top sportsman in their field sort of disrespecting or slagging off the rest of the tour.

‘I understand what he was saying that the standard’s no good but that’s compared to him. He’s including me in that.

‘There’s no-one on the tour that’s as good as him but it’s unfair to class everyone else in his standards because it’s not going to happen.

‘And for him to have a go at the lower-ranked players I think it’s a bit naughty.’  

O’Sullivan is a five-time World Champion and is considered a true great of the sport, but recently moaned that he has struggled to find a decent cue-action for most of his career.

Williams claimed ‘Ronnie always talks nonsense unless he is making nine tons on the trot’

But three-time World Champion Williams was having none of it, claiming: ‘Ronnie always talks nonsense unless he is making nine tons on the trot. He always says he is c***. I don’t listen to it.’ 

O’Sullivan’s victory set up a semi-final encounter against Mark Selby as they battle for a place in the final against either Anthony McGill or Kyren Wilson.