Ronnie O'Sullivan and Ali Carter

Ronnie O'Sullivan v Ali Carter: A rivalry explained as the duo prepare to meet in the first round of the 2025 World Championship

By Chris Hammer

Snooker

Tue April 22, 2025 · 7M ago

Ronnie O’Sullivan long-awaited return to competitive action at the World Championship will be under even greater scrutiny after he was drawn to face his old rival Ali Carter in round one.

The pair’s long-running feud boiled over during their match at the 2018 World Championship at the Crucible when O’Sullivan barged into Carter at the table but the Captain brushed off the incident to run out a 13-9 winner.

WATCH: TOP 16 VERDICTS FOR THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

World Snooker Championship 2025 predictions!

Well, this was awkward 👀

Ronnie O'Sullivan and Ali Carter will meet again at the Crucible#HaloWorldChampionship pic.twitter.com/rkuHvguALz
— WST (@WeAreWST) April 17, 2025

That was Carter's only televised victory over the Rocket in 20 meetings since they first locked horns in the 2001 UK Championship, and the animosity took a further turn for the worse in the 2024 Masters final.

After turning a 3-6 deficit into 10-7 victory to lift the trophy for the eighth time in his glittering career, O'Sullivan unleashed an x-rated rant about his opponent, who had complained about him "snotting all over the floor" during the match.

Throwback to Ronnie O'Sullivan's rant about Ali Carter last year after they drew each other in the World Championship. It followed the heated Masters final which Ronnie won...pic.twitter.com/Juv8CnEQXm
— Chris Hammer (@ChrisHammer180) April 17, 2025

The seven-time world champion said: "He needs to sort his f*****g life out. I’m not going to skirt around it anymore, tip-toeing on eggshells around someone like that. He’s a f*****g nightmare.

“Playing snooker against someone like that is a nightmare. He’s not a nice person. It’s not a nice vibe he leaves around the table. I’ve said my piece, I don’t give a s**t. I’ve said it now, done. You know what he’s like, everybody knows what he’s like.

“He’s got issues. F*****g why has he got issues with me? I’m not having it.”

Had a quick chat about Ronnie O'Sullivan's latest outburst with @rickedwards1 on @bbc5live this morning. pic.twitter.com/5FKr6IEzbp
— Chris Hammer (@ChrisHammer180) January 16, 2024

The 48-year-old added: “He’s got beef with me. He’s got issues, he’s got to sort his life out, he’s got to see a counsellor or something. He’s got to sort it out because I haven’t spoken to him for 20 years.”

Carter had earlier said: “There were a couple of things that happened out there that go unnoticed. Well, they don’t go unnoticed – anyone with an eyesight or a brain can see what’s going on.

“It’s disgusting quite frankly. No one wants to say anything, do they? (O’Sullivan) snotting all over the floor and all that.

“I mean it’s outrageous behaviour from a top professional. If it gets swept under the carpet then for me, it’s not good.”