Ronnie O'Sullivan has called the Alexandra Palace 'dirty' and 'disgusting'; Seven-time Masters champion stays on course for a first title since 2017 with quarter-finals win over Barry Hawkins in scrappy but closely-fought match; O'Sullivan will meet Shaun Murphy in Saturday's semi-final
Friday 12 January 2024 09:31, UK
Ronnie O'Sullivan has criticised Alexandra Palace as "disgusting" and "dirty" during this year's Masters.
The Ally Pally has hosted the Masters since 2012 but the seven-time champion is not a fan of the iconic venue.
"I just don't like this place. I find it disgusting," he said.
"Everywhere is dirty. It's cold. It's freezing, I have to wear my coat everywhere. You go through car parks. There are bins. Honestly, it just makes me feel ill.
"I'm a bit of a clean freak and when I come in here it gives me the heebie-jeebies. I just can't wait to get out of here."
The World Snooker Tour were quick to respond to O'Sullivan's comments and pointed out that all other players have reacted to the venue with "unanimous positivity".
"We work alongside Alexandra Palace to provide the best possible conditions for players on and off the table," they said.
"All other players have spoken with unanimous positivity about the venue. Fans love coming here. This is underlined by record ticket sales and the fact that all standard admission seats sold out ahead of this year's tournament."
An Alexandra Palace spokesperson also said: "We love hosting the Masters and welcoming all the players and fans to the Palace. We work tirelessly to provide an arena and atmosphere that this great event deserves.
"We've been proud of the overwhelming positive feedback the venue has received in recent years, and it's obviously disappointing that Ronnie feels differently.
"We hope we can change his mind and that he enjoys the rest of his tournament here."
Earlier this year, the Ally Pally hosted the World Darts Championships which saw Luke Littler's incredible run to the final, where he was ultimately beaten by Luke Humphries.
O'Sullivan has booked his place in a 15th Masters semi-final of his career after beating Barry Hawkins 6-3 at Alexandra Palace.
He will now face Shaun Murphy in the semi-finals.
