Ronnie O'Sullivan has been warned that he will 'pay the price' if he continues to play snooker left-handed going forward following his exit from the English Open earlier this week.
The 48-year-old lost 4-2 to He Guoqiang on Tuesday, with the Rocket downbeat in the aftermath of his latest setback.
O'Sullivan is arguably the best player in snooker history, having dominated the sport over the years.
However, his decision to play with his left hand - rather than his right - has raised eyebrows.
Ronnie O'Sullivan has been warned that he will 'pay the price' if he continues to play snooker left-handed going forward following his exit from the English Open earlier this week
PA
Now, former Masters champion Alan McManus has warned O'Sullivan that he will 'pay the price' if he refuses to revert back to type.
Speaking to Eurosport, he said: "He played a lot of left-handed stuff tonight.
"Ronnie going forward, if he's going to play most of his matches with his left hand, I don't think he's going to win all that often because he paid the price too often tonight.
"Whether that is something he's going to keep in his armoury going forward, we're going to find out.
"His last shot of the match was a poor safety shot. Going forward, if O'Sullivan is going to play left-handed, I think he's going to pay the price."
Some fans took issue with the Rocket's decision to play left-handed.
Speaking to The Sun after his defeat, however, the snooker legend insisted he was only doing it because he's 'absolutely useless'.
"I'm absolutely useless, that's why," he stated.
READ MORE:Andy Murray explains huge weight loss after retiring from tennis as he takes up new love
"Forget about the Worlds. I'm not even bothered to be honest with you, if I'm going to play rubbish I might as well play left handed.
"Play left-handed and enjoy it, but be useless, or play right-handed, be useless and not enjoy it.
"I haven't got long, I'm not going to deny it, I'm not playing well enough, there's no point in even worrying about it.
"I've just accepted it now which is quite a nice place to be really."
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
Ronnie O'Sullivan has been criticised by Alan McManus after his English Open exit
PA
Stephen Hendry recently said that O'Sullivan's high-level performances are 'fewer and far between now'.
Responding to those comments, the Rocket shrugged them off by suggesting he was unfazed by the criticism levelled at him.
"I don't even care," he said.
Ronnie O'Sullivan was downbeat following his exit from the English Open
PA
"I'm just here to fulfil my commitments to my sponsors, get away from home, travel.
"If I can get a couple of years out of it that will be great, if I can't, I can't.
" I just want to rinse as much out of it as I can, I'm not going to drive myself mad. If you're poor, you're poor."
