Some snooker fans are unimpressed at Ronnie O'Sullivan for choosing to play in the Riyadh Season World Masters.
The game's top-ranked players were all invited to the inaugural event in Saudi Arabia with a total of £800,000 available in prize money.
O'Sullivan got off to a strong start to his tournament in the early hours of the morning as he thrashed John Higgins 4-0 with the Scottish icon failing to pot a single ball.
The seven-time world champion was typically candid after the match, admitting he preferred playing in events abroad to tournaments in the UK.
O'Sullivan's unfiltered nature during interviews has often endeared him to snooker fans all over the world.
Ronnie O'Sullivan is through to the semi-finals of the Riyadh Season World Masters
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But his comments after beating Higgins where he came up with a nickname for rival Mark Selby didn't go down well with some viewers.
One fan fumed: "Most talented player to ever pick up a cue but an absolute t*** of a man. No need to mention Mark Selby at all."
Another moaned: "What a load of c***."
A third wrote: "Another cringey interview."
O'Sullivan didn't end up beating Higgins until 3am local time with all of Tuesday's matches running late following Selby's dramatic loss to Mark Allen.
"I call him Midnight Selby now because all his games go past midnight," O'Sullivan said with smile.
"It's a nightmare. You don't want to be following Mark because you go into the next day.
"It's the top players playing against each other, so you're always going to get good games, unless it's Mark and Mark today.
"It was a bit of a drag, wasn't it? Even Mark Allen said after: 'That was tough!'"
Ronnie O'Sullivan caused a stir with his comments
EUROSPORT
Some fans also weren't impressed with O'Sullivan for travelling to Saudi Arabia in the first place.
One person posted: "Pity you don't like playing in uk."
Another said: "Sold your soul for a few quid, shame on you and the rest."
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Ronnie O'Sullivan made three century breaks against John Higgins
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A third noted: "No thanks, don’t ruin the game."
Another sarcastically wrote: "Nobody’s interested in this one Ronnie. Thought you didn’t like playing in front of no spectators anyway?"
O'Sullivan faces Judd Trump in the semi-finals with world champion Luca Brecel up against Allen in the other tie.
