Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark Selby accused each other of using distraction tactics during a tetchy Scottish Open final on Sunday. Selby took the title by a comfortable 9-3 scoreline to avenge his World Championship semi-final defeat to O’Sullivan in August, but there appeared to be some bad blood between the two players.
Selby dominated proceedings, never falling behind his rival and taking a 6-2 lead at the end of the afternoon session in Milton Keynes.
The 37-year-old never looked like fading and successfully closed out the match to equal Stephen Hendry’s record of 11th consecutive victories in ranking finals.
Although both players paid tribute to each other post-match, there was no hiding the awkward atmosphere around the table.
The English pair exchanged words, with both accusing the other of gamesmanship.
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“I’d have to travel to Leicester to play Mark for a bit of practice, so today it was great, I just wanted to get the most of it. But the referee said ‘you’re not allowed’, so you learn a new rule every day in snooker.”
The Jester from Leicester, who pocketed the £70,000 prize money, also accused his opponent of deliberately moving into his eyeline while he was trying to play a shot.
“I’m playing a long red into the corner and he stood up,” Selby explained.
“I could see him in my eyeline and just as I’m about to play the shot he started chalking his cue quite loudly.
“I got off the shot and looked at him and he raised his eyebrows as if to say ‘sorry I didn’t realise I was doing it’.
“But he knew exactly what he was doing and I managed to play the shot and potted it.”
O’Sullivan, meanwhile, was unhappy with Selby, who he said was trying to put him off by tapping his water bottle.
“He thought I was chalking my cue and putting him off, but I wasn’t even in his eyeline,” O’Sullivan said.
“I was in my chair when he was playing a safety shot. I found that a bit strange, so when he started doing that (tapping his water bottle) I thought ‘I might as well pull you up’.
“So I said ‘any chance you can not do it when I’m on my shot?’ But there’s no issue between me and Mark, I think we have to thank each other for driving us to be better players.”