Ronnie O’Sullivan intends to show off his left-handed skills more than ever this season, saying it makes him happy to play with his opposite hand.
The Rocket has long been wowing the snooker world with his left-handed ability when he is naturally right-handed.
Way back in 1996 O’Sullivan beat Alain Robidoux in a controversial match at the World Championship, with the Canadian feeling like the Rocket was showboating by knocking in some pots left-handed and refusing to shake his hand after a heavy defeat.
It didn’t stop O’Sullivan, though, and he has been playing some shots left-handed ever since, not as incredibly good as he is right-handed, but he doesn’t miss much with his left either.
It looks like, as he approaches his 49th birthday in December, we will be seeing the Rocket playing left-handed even more after enjoying himself playing that way in an exhibition in China.
O’Sullivan posted a clip of him taking on Si Jiahui in an exhibition contest, making a break entirely left-handed.
The video was captioned: ‘Me playing in China…what can you spot that I’m doing differently?’
A following picture had the caption: ‘A lot of you got it right. Gonna play more left-handed from now on…it makes me happy.’
It is a long time since players playing with their opposite hand has been seen as controversial, but Robidoux was really miffed at the Crucible 28 years ago.
‘Ronnie was being disrespectful to his fellow professionals and should save shots like that for exhibitions,’ he said after the match. ‘I wasn’t playing well and he was rubbing it in.
‘He shouldn’t be allowed to play like that in a professional tournament.’
O’Sullivan wasn’t fussed, saying: ‘I’m good left-handed, I’ve made 90 breaks playing that way. In fact, I’m better left-handed than he is right-handed.
‘If he wants to act like a baby that’s up to him. The crowd enjoyed it, that’s the main thing.’
O’Sullivan is back in action in China on Monday in the first round of the brand new ranking event the Xi’an Grand Prix.
The 48-year-old is taking on Wang Yuchen in the opening round.
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