RONNIE O’SULLIVAN laughed off the bit of “handbags” with Ali Carter as he crashed out at the Crucible.
The Rocket dished out some argy-bargy during his shock 13-9 defeat at the Betfred World Championship.
In the 19th frame, five-time champion O’Sullivan returned to the chair and then BARGED Carter in the ribs, saying: “That’s for being Mr Angry.”
The Essex rivals continued to exchange words and referee Paul Collier was forced to tell them both to cool it.
But after his second-round exit, O’Sullivan said: “Let’s get perspective. Think of Syria, Iraq, young children getting bombed — this was just handbags.
“There isn’t a lot of space out there. There were a couple of collisions out there.
“Formula One have contact in cars and today we had it with humans. I don’t think there is anything to apologise for. I don’t get embarrassed.
“If World Snooker try to fine me, they can send a letter to a lawyer and one to Ali. We all get angry sometimes.
“If someone shoulder barges me, do I have to tiptoe around them and curtsey to them as if they are The Queen?”
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World No 15 Carter, who lost to Ronnie in two world finals, said: “There was a barge. When he called me Mr Angry, it put a bit of spice into it.
“It is usually the Ronnie O’Sullivan Show – but today was the Ali Carter Show, so I am delighted.
“If he says I barged him earlier, then it was tit-for-tat, wasn’t it? But I’m not looking for friends — I want to win.”
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