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Ronnie O’Sullivan is furious and calls Alexandra Palace, the site of the Masters, “filthy.”
Snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan, aged 48, advanced to the semi-finals of the Masters on Thursday; however, his experience at London’s Alexandra Palace left him with a sense of disgust as he criticized the venue for its cleanliness issues. O’Sullivan, a seven-time Masters champion, expressed dissatisfaction with the state of the arena, which has hosted the tournament since 2012 and was built in 1865.
“I don’t like this place. I think it’s filthy. Everything is filthy. It’s cold. It’s very cold. I have to wear my coat everywhere,” stated the world number one, also known as ‘The Rocket,’ following his 6-3 victory over Barry Hawkins (44) in the quarter-finals on Thursday.
Ronnie O’Sullivan, known for his meticulous nature, further expressed his discontent with Alexandra Palace, labeling the venue as filthy and disgusting. Despite securing a victory in the quarter-finals over Barry Hawkins, O’Sullivan voiced his discomfort with the cleanliness of the venue, noting car parks and dumpsters that contribute to his negative experience.
“I’m a bit of a neat freak, and when I come in here, it makes my hair stand on end. I can’t wait to get out of here. I don’t like it here. I find it disgusting,” he asserted.
While Alexandra Palace has been the host venue for various events, including the World Darts Championship, O’Sullivan’s remarks focused on his dissatisfaction with the conditions. The World Snooker Tour (WST) responded, emphasizing their collaborative efforts with Alexandra Palace to ensure optimal conditions for players. The WST highlighted positive feedback from other players and fans, citing record ticket sales and sold-out standard entry seats for the tournament.
Despite O’Sullivan’s criticisms, the focus remains on the snooker action, with O’Sullivan set to face Shaun Murphy in the semi-final on Saturday after Murphy’s 6-3 victory over Jack Lisowski.
