Ronnie O’Sullivan v Ali Carter LIVE: Snooker Tour Championship score and updates from grudge match
O’Sullivan leads Carter 7-1 in the race to 10 frames following the afternoon session as the bitter rivals avoided any confrontation in Manchester
The bitter rivalry between Ronnie O’Sullivan and Ali Carter resumed this afternoon as the two Essex snooker stars clashed in the Tour Championship quarter-finals in Manchester. O’Sullivan absolutely dominated his foe to build a 7-1 lead in the best-of-19 contest, which will play to a finish from 7pm BST this evening.
The pair have a long-term feud and dislike of each other that came to a head after the final of the Masters earlier this year. O’Sullivan came from 6-3 down to win an eighth Masters crown at Alexandra Palace but Carter was furious with his opponent, accusing him of “disgusting actions” and “snotting all over the floor”.
‘The Rocket’ rejected those claims and hit back with a foul-mouthed rant, insisting “everybody knows what he’s like” and claiming his rival has “issues”. O’Sullivan said: “He’s a f*****g nightmare. F*****g why has he got issues with me? I’m not having it. I don’t care, grow some balls. I don’t give a f***. The more he brings it on, the more I f*****g punish him every time. He needs to sort his f****** life out.”
The Tour Championship is the final tournament before the World Snooker Championship, which begins on 20 April at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, where O’Sullivan will look to add to his UK Championship and Masters successes this season by clinching a modern-record eighth world title.
Follow all the action below, plus find the latest sports betting odds, offers and tips here:
END OF SESSION! Ronnie O’Sullivan 7-1 Ali Carter
Ali Carter makes a stunning 141 to finish off the afternoon and that’s the highest break of the tournament so far! Showing his class right at the end.
But it’s Ronnie O’Sullivan’s session - he obliterates Carter 7-1 and only needs three more frames for victory when they resume at 7pm BST this evening
CENTURY! Ronnie O’Sullivan 7-0 Ali Carter
Fair play to Ali Carter. He’s dug deep to make a lovely break here and snatch the final frame of the afternoon session. And he makes the only century of the afternoon.
Passes 100 with a simple black off the spot! Great tenacity.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 7-0 Ali Carter
A tricky red to cut into the left corner pocket for Carter with the break on 54 and he gets it - nicely cued. Looks like he’ll get a frame on the board at the death here.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 7-0 Ali Carter
With the break on 15, Carter wriggles a black home. It wiped its feet but went in and the break continues! He moves towards 40 points and is still going strong.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 7-0 Ali Carter
O’Sullivan has won the last two frames in a combined 13 minutes. Brutal stuff to take this match away from his opponent.
One frame of the session left and Ali Carter will just want to ensure it’s not a whitewash. O’Sullivan rattles a red in both jaws of the left corner pocket with a long pot to start frame eight and Carter is left a simple starter to middle. Can he brush off all the disappointment and score heavily here?
FRAME! Ronnie O’Sullivan 7-0 Ali Carter
A couple of delicate cannons, including one to split the final two reds but O’Sullivan misses a tricky-cross-table pot on that penultimate red, so the century remains elusive.
He won’t care too much though - a dominant break of 92 and O’Sullivan takes frame seven to extend his lead to 7-0. Carter on his knees here.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-0 Ali Carter
Leaves himself a long-range blue up into the yellow pocket to move 61 points ahead and nails it! Heart of the pockets, gorgeous pot.
This will be another one-visit frame win as he moves to the snookers-required stage. Can he make his first century of the day?
Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-0 Ali Carter
This calm, fuss-free break-building from O’Sullivan as he floats the cueball around the table into the perfect positions in a way only he can.
Brings up the half-century with a black off the spot. This is going to be 7-0 barring disaster.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-0 Ali Carter
With the break on 19, O’Sullivan pots a red to left corner and powers the white through the bunch to open up a few more. Very clever shot. He then comfortably moves beyond 30 points.
Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-0 Ali Carter
Carter misses a long red by a fairly wide margin to start frame seven. O’Sullivan crunches in a mid-ranger and he’s back at the table.
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