Ronnie O’Sullivan produced one of the more unusual moments of the snooker season when he abandoned his World Open first round encounter against Ross Muir in Yushan, walking out of the arena because a sponsor’s logo on his waistcoat was causing him discomfort.
The seven-time world champion was in the process of compiling his opening break when he found himself unable to settle into his stance properly.
After repeatedly attempting to address the ball, O’Sullivan indicated to the match official that he could not proceed and departed the playing hall, leaving his Scottish opponent sitting bewildered in his chair.
The snooker legend could be observed clawing at the red emblem stitched onto his clothing, making several attempts to remove it from the fabric.
O’Sullivan lined up his shot on the black on numerous occasions, only to stand back up each time to address the troublesome sponsorship badge.
Shaking his head in frustration, the Rocket exited the venue to resolve the matter, disappearing for approximately two minutes.
Ronnie O’Sullivan was bothered by his own jacket
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The peculiar interruption came shortly after another distraction had affected play, when a fly landed on the cue ball just as Muir was preparing to take a shot.
Upon his return, O’Sullivan successfully potted the black to continue his break.
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Despite the ongoing distraction, with O’Sullivan continuing to fiddle with the sponsored logo throughout the remainder of the contest, the Wordsley-born player seized control of proceedings.
He stormed into a commanding 3-0 advantage against Muir, demonstrating the form that has made him one of snooker’s all-time greats.
The fourth frame proved more troublesome, however, slowing considerably as O’Sullivan squandered multiple opportunities to close it out.
Muir capitalised on his opponent’s wastefulness, claiming his first frame of the match to reduce the deficit to 3-1 heading into the mid-session interval.
Ross Muir was left perplexed after Ronnie O’Sullivan walked out of the match
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The interval did little to halt O’Sullivan’s momentum as he returned to produce a devastating display of break-building.
A superb century of 113 put the Rocket within touching distance of victory, showcasing the clinical potting that has defined his illustrious career.
He then sealed the match in emphatic fashion during the seventh frame, compiling an even more impressive 114 break to complete a comprehensive 6-1 triumph.
The victory sets up a second round clash with Matthew Selt, though O’Sullivan will benefit from a bye into the third round, giving him additional time away from the table before his next competitive outing.
