Ronnie O'Sullivan gave another hand gesture in Sheffield on Friday - a wave of
triumph after becoming the first player to reach the Embassy World Championship
quarter-finals.
O'Sullivan, who faces disciplinary action for an obscene salute earlier in the
match, defeated Devon qualifier Andy Hicks 13-11.
And O'Sullivan was a model of good behaviour in the final session as he earned
himself a four-day break before his next outing.
He momentarily pointed a finger towards the crowd in the penultimate frame of
the match, seemingly admonishing a member of the audience for calling out while
he was on a shot.
But his earlier crude gesture in the 16th frame could yet come back to haunt
him if the governing body decide to take action.
However, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association were still
refusing to comment on Friday as the world number three from Essex guaranteed
himself a cheque for £31,000.
O'Sullivan did not risk landing in further trouble after two sessions during
which he had sworn to himself, conceding frames with Hicks still at the table
and smashed his hand on the table in frustration at missing a comfortable shot.
Hicks, who had remained unfazed throughout O'Sullivan's antics, looked more
apprehensive with his opponent toeing the line.
They could not be separated after 16 frames and world number 62 Hicks refused
to buckle on the re-start.
The 1995 semi-finalist led 9-8 and 10-9, including a break of 71 in the 19th.
But once O'Sullivan obtained parity at 10-10 with his fifth century of the
match, Hicks began to crack.
O'Sullivan's 106 added to breaks of 123, 101, 127 and 125. It enabled him to
equal the record of five tons in a best of 25 frame match by Scotland's John
Higgins.
O'Sullivan then hit the front at 11-10 and doubled his lead for the first time
in the match at 12-10.
Hicks hung on at 12-11 but O'Sullivan finished off with 80 to squeeze
through.
There was honour in defeat though for Hicks who arrived at Sheffield as a
500-1 outsider and without a Crucible victory for nine years.
He takes home £17,600 and memories of a near punch-up with Australian Quinten
Hann after his first round win.
O'Sullivan's press conference was not without incident either.
He answered just one question before walking out and saying: "I'll leave it
there."
In the brief time he spent in the interview room O'Sullivan blamed the press
for blowing incidents in the game out of proportion.
"I don't want to come across as shocking or attention seeking," he insisted.
"I wasn't being disrespectful to Andy.
"In fact, I'd like to congratulate him on the way he played. He pushed me all
the way.
"I'm disappointed with you guys. I'm a private person and I keep coming back
whatever you've tried to do to me over the years. I'm just sad."
O'Sullivan later expanded his views in a television interview adding: "I'm
scared to say anything at the moment. But it's been a lesson to me.
"I've made a couple of gestures and all of a sudden I'm a bad man and I
should be fined. I thought the press were my mates but they've jumped on my
back."
Andy Hicks did not add to O'Sullivan's problems and was complimentary to the
2001 world champion.
"It was a great match to be involved in. He is a fantastic player and for two
days I was just trying to contain him," he said.
"He makes the game look very easy and is the best player that has ever picked
up a cue.
"I have got great respect for Ronnie and always will have."
Hicks claimed the pair had not been disrespectful to each other by the
premature concession of frames during the opening session on Thursday.
"I hope he has got the same respect for me that I've got for him. The frames
were virtually over.
"I asked Ronnie whether he want to set the balls up again and he did exactly
the same thing to me."
Hicks also looked back on his missed opportunities to push O'Sullivan even
closer.
He added: "I felt I might have been 5-3 up after the first session and
possibly 9-7 up instead of 8-8.
"It would have been great to play in the quarter-finals and who knows what
might have happened."
WORLD SNOOKER NEWS
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