World Snooker Championship - Ronnie O'Sullivan shocks with controversial Mark Williams break-off
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Updated 23/04/2021 at 09:51 GMT
Reigning world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan joined rival Mark Williams in stepping up with a very similar unconventional break-off to get his second-round match against Anthony McGill back underway at the World Snooker Championship. Williams has courted controversy with the tactic already at the Crucible, and O'Sullivan clearly decided to get in on the action and join him on Friday morning.
'Look at this!' - O'Sullivan follows Williams with controversial break-off
Ronnie O'Sullivan surprised everyone with his very first shot on Friday morning as he replicated Mark Williams' controversial break-off at the World Snooker Championship.
The Rocket, resuming his tense second-round encounter with Anthony McGill at the Crucible, left the fans and commentators stunned as he rolled the cue ball in behind the pack of reds to begin the ninth frame.
It was a very surprising way to begin the morning session given the ongoing furore surrounding the tactic, with fellow world champion Williams having got the snooker world talking with the divisive shot.
While some players, such as world number one Judd Trump, have spoken out against that style of break-off, other players have said they believe it to be a perfectly acceptable and legitimate shot.
O'Sullivan clearly agrees with his old rival Williams that the shot is fine as he took it on himself to begin the morning session. However, it did not work out for him as McGill was left an easy pot to the middle pocket.
"Look at this!" exclaimed Philip Studd, on commentary for Eurosport at the time.
Well... O'Sullivan adopting the Mark Williams approach. Who saw that coming?
"He's never lost the capacity to surprise, has he, O'Sullivan down the years? I can't see a lot wrong with it."
Dominic Dale, on co-commentary, added: "Well, I certainly didn't! But he needs a little more practice because he's left this red to the left-centre.
"Yes, that's certainly woken me up! I wasn't expecting that from Ronnie.
"I'm going to call it a mistake from Ronnie because he left the red on. How can you ban what is a legal shot? How do you ban it?"
McGill ended up winning the ninth frame to assume an early lead in the morning session and render O'Sullivan's surprise shot very ineffective.
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'Unbelievable' - Watch O'Sullivan deliver amazing escape
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