Ronnie O’Sullivan goes head-to-head with outdated foe Ali Carter on the German Masters following years of stress and public spats.
Ronnie O’Sullivan and Ali Carter sometimes do not see eye-to-eye (Picture: Getty)
Ronnie O’Sullivan and Ali Carter are set to resume their intense rivalry on Wednesday on the German Masters. The pair will conflict within the spherical of 32 on the Tempodrom – an encounter that comes amid an extended historical past of dangerous blood between the 2 English snooker stars, marked by on-table incidents and off-table barbs.
The feud traces its roots again to the early 2000s when O’Sullivan and Carter had been as soon as follow companions. Nevertheless, tensions started to simmer publicly through the 2018 World Snooker Championship on the Crucible. Of their second-round match, which O’Sullivan received 13-9, an notorious ‘shoulder barge’ incident occurred. Because the gamers crossed paths on the desk through the twentieth body, O’Sullivan appeared to intentionally stumble upon Carter.
“We touched shoulders earlier than the second incident. So we’re sitting [close] collectively, it is so tight [at the Crucible],” Carter instructed Stephen Hendry on his Cue Suggestions YouTube channel. “I turned conscious that the primary one, he was strolling again however there may be loads of room to go like that [walk past each other].
“I used to be conscious that we might touched shoulders on the way in which previous and I am considering, ‘Does he need me to go like this, or like that?’ [leans over the snooker table]. I do not know, if it was courteous you’d simply go like that [moves to one side], however I used to be conscious there was no giving manner. The second time, he is given it that to me [mimics shoulder barge]. I assumed ‘Oh, god, what is going on on right here?'”
Referee Paul Collier stepped in, hoping to deflate the strain regardless of O’Sullivan insisting he was “cool as a cucumber.” Carter vehemently disagreed and instructed Hendry his rival regarded like he “needed to kill him.”
“He regarded completely raging,” he defined. “That was just about it. If it was an novice you’d get your cue and go like that [hold it in front of him], push him out the way in which, would not you? The difficulty is, basic public do not see that [O’Sullivan’s behaviour]. He is very a lot utilizing his authority to say, ‘That is my desk, you are simply collaborating right here.'”
The rivalry lay dormant for a number of years however exploded again into the highlight through the 2024 Masters closing at Alexandra Palace. O’Sullivan received 10-7 to say his eighth Masters title, however the post-match fallout stole the headlines.
Carter accused O’Sullivan of “snotting everywhere in the flooring” through the match, labeling it “disgusting” and “outrageous.” In response, O’Sullivan launched a scathing tirade in his press convention, telling Carter to “type his f***ing life out” and suggesting he search counselling for his points, with the heated alternate later dubbed ‘snot-gate’ by followers and media.
Ronnie O’Sullivan has made his emotions on Ali Carter clear (Picture: Getty)
“He can sit on it so far as I am involved,” O’Sullivan fumed. “I do not give a f***. You realize what he is like, everyone is aware of what he is like. He is acquired points. F******* why has he acquired points with me? I am not having it. I do not care, develop some balls. I do not give a f***. The extra he brings it on, the extra I f****** punish him each time.
“Completely. He is simply digging a grave for himself. He must type his f****** life out. That is it, I’ve mentioned my piece. I am not going to skirt round it anymore, tiptoeing on eggshells round somebody like that.
“Taking part in snooker towards somebody like that could be a nightmare. He isn’t a pleasant individual. It isn’t a pleasant vibe he leaves across the desk. I’ve mentioned my piece, and you are going to write what you are going to write. I do not give a s***. I’ve mentioned it now, completed. Finish of press convention? I suppose you’ve got acquired your headlines, have not you?”
Carter has described O’Sullivan as an “odd character” (Picture: Getty)
Months later, O’Sullivan admitted his remorse over these feedback, explaining: “Yeah. It is simply warmth of the second stuff. If I really feel like I’ve acquired to say one thing I am going to say it. It is nothing private, simply warmth of the second stuff. He is entitled to say what he is acquired to say, like I’m.
“Do I remorse saying it? In all probability. I want I might stored my mouth shut and been a bit extra polished with my solutions, a bit extra diplomatic.
“However I’ve mentioned what I’ve mentioned and that is wonderful. It is solely phrases is not it? He goes again to his life, his household and I do. We solely have to fulfill on the desk, it is not like we’re greatest mates but it surely’s wonderful, we’re each fairly grown up.”
O’Sullivan and Carter are not on talking phrases (Picture: Getty)
Carter later expressed confusion over the feud, noting that they had been “fairly pleasant” earlier than, however admitted their relationship had soured. By the 2025 World Snooker Championship, the pair had been drawn towards one another within the first spherical, elevating expectations of extra drama.
O’Sullivan dominated with a 10-1 victory, however the aftermath instructed a thaw in relations. Carter praised O’Sullivan as “the best participant of all time.” O’Sullivan reciprocated with mutual respect, and for a quick interval, it appeared the hatchet had been buried. Nevertheless, the peace was short-lived.
In late 2025, Carter reignited the feud with contemporary feedback forward of the UK Championship. He defined that they had been not on talking phrases after The Rocket tried to disclaim that he’d shoulder barged him, regardless of apologising for the incident.
O’Sullivan and Carter are dealing with off within the German Masters this week (Picture: Getty)
“I do not actually have a relationship with Ronnie,” he instructed Bradford’s Telegraph and Argus. “Pay attention, he will get off the bed otherwise every single day, so how will you have that relationship? When he is alright, he is wonderful, however when he is not, he is not, and a friendship cannot actually work on phrases like that.
“I mainly stopped speaking to him as a result of he apologised to me for the shoulder barge, then tried to say he hadn’t. I keep in mind the apology vividly as a result of we had been at a Novotel and he mentioned sorry for what had occurred at Sheffield. I instructed him it was no difficulty, as a result of it was simply heat-of-the-moment stuff.
“However I used to be taking part in him within the Northern Eire Open through the Covid lockdown and [former player turned pundit] Alan McManus talked about it being a needle match between Ronnie and I.
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“I instructed Alan that wasn’t the case in any respect, it was water underneath the bridge and we might moved on. However then, earlier than the match, Ronnie got here as much as me and mentioned I used to be making it up that he’d apologised to me. “After that, I simply thought, ‘What is the level of speaking to somebody if they are going to be like that?'”
However, Carter emphasised his admiration for snooker’s best participant, saying: “I’ve acquired the final word respect for Ronnie as a snooker participant. He is fairly a humorous man really, however he is an odd character.”
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