Ronnie O'Sullivan stormed to a commanding 10-4 victory over Ali Carter in the first round of the World Snooker Championship yesterday.
The Rocket, returning to competitive action after more than three months away from the sport, showed no signs of rust as he demolished his old rival.
O'Sullivan capitalised on his slender 5-4 overnight lead to win five consecutive frames in Wednesday's second session.
The 49-year-old's devastating form left Carter feeling "embarrassed" as he tumbled out of the tournament at the Crucible.
Ali Carter was thrashed by Ronnie O'Sullivan on Wednesday
Reuters
The match had been hotly anticipated due to the pair's historically fractious relationship, but ended in a one-sided affair.
Carter made a game of it during Tuesday's opening session, with O'Sullivan showing signs of rust after his extended break from competition.
However, the second session told a completely different story as the Rocket found his rhythm.
Carter struggled to gain any foothold in the match, finding himself in "awkward positions" as O'Sullivan's superior play took control.
"I split the pack a couple of times and missed a couple of blacks off the cushion when I couldn't really get on anything," Carter told the BBC.
Crucible legend Stephen Hendry noted O'Sullivan's killer instinct, saying: "The first sniff of winning the match and it's done."
Despite their fractious history, which includes shoulder barging and insults in press conferences, Carter was gracious in defeat.
"It just went from bad to worse and it sort of begins to get a little bit embarrassing out there," he admitted.
Carter acknowledged O'Sullivan's status in the sport, saying: "I'm playing the greatest player of all time, it's not easy, but I'll be back next year."
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Ali Carter admitted his performance was embarrassing
Reuters
He added: "It's not the end to the season I wanted here but arguably Ronnie is the hardest draw in the first round."
"He's probably the one everyone doesn't want to play for obvious reasons, he's the most successful player of all time."
O'Sullivan himself appeared relaxed after his victory, revealing: "I had no expectations so there were no nerves."
"I didn't expect to perform well based on the last three or four years. I just wanted to make a game of it," he said.
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Ronnie O'Sullivan returns with a dominant 🔟-4️⃣ win over Ali Carter at the Crucible 🚀#WorldChampionship pic.twitter.com/8mKsa1Uzld
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The seven-time world champion acknowledged his improved performance in the second session: "I cued a lot better than I did yesterday."
O'Sullivan also opened up about his recent struggles: "It ground me down, this game has a way of humbling you."
"I lost the buzz for the game, when you are not able to play the shots, I was having to bail out on a lot."
"I'm just trying to work my way back, rediscover some touch and feel."
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