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World of Sport

05th Nov 2021

Ronnie O’Sullivan nearly missed start of snooker game due to eating a kebab

Callum Boyle

Pre-match kebab > the actual match

Snooker star Ronnie O’Sullivan almost missed the start of his snooker game in Milton Keynes on Wednesday as he was busy eating a kebab.

As per the MailOnline, the 45-year-old arrived just in time for his English Open match against Michael Georgiou, however it seemed he may have been struggling on a full stomach initially as he lost the first frame.

Ronnie ‘the Rocket’ admitted that he didn’t actually realise he was on until he was halfway through his meal with his friends.

“I turned up with seven minutes to go,’ he said.

“I was still in my jeans and trainers. I got my gear on. I was all over the gaff.

“I should be meditating 20 minutes ago but I wasn’t. I knew I would be like a rabbit in the headlights. So, I tried to stay in the match for as long as I could settle.

“I was over in the kebab shop with my friends, having a good time, putting the world to rights and thought ‘I better go now’ as the previous match had finished.”

Thankfully for his sake, the world number three was able to regain his concentration and turn the game round to advance through to the next round and said that he’d rather turn up late and win than rush and lose.

He said: “I’d rather be late for the match in fact and miss the first frame.

“I’d rather be 1-0 down in a good place than 0-0 and thinking ‘I want to smash my cue into 100 pieces and go home’.

“I got to finish the kebab and had the baklava, too. It was a long lunch.”

O’Sullivan is a long-time fan of a pre-match kebab and given his extraordinary record in the game, it’s not going to be something he’s going to stop doing anytime soon.

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