‘Not seen shot like that before’ – Snooker legends stunned by bizarre break vs Ronnie O’Sullivan at World Championships
SNOOKER legends were stunned by Ryan Day’s bizarre break against Ronnie O’Sullivan.
The pair faced off in their second-round World Snooker Championship clash at the Crucible.
Trailing 2-1 in frames, Day accidentally tried something new and completely unexpected.
The Welshman, 44, had seemingly rushed back from a toilet break and walked back to the table wiping his hands on his trousers.
He picked up his cue, chalked the tip, placed the cue ball and lined up his shot.
But rather than execute an inch-perfect, tactical opening shot, Day seemed to get it all wrong.
He mishit the white – making a horrible pang noise – and sent it hurtling towards the reds.
And instead of caressing them gently, he smashed the corner of the reds and sent them sprawling around the bottom of the table.
One even flew all the way out sideways and came to rest by the side cushion.
The white was flying back towards the top cushion – passing the wrong side of the blue – and was on course to rebound back into a favourable position for O’Sullivan.
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However, Day got a very lucky break after his blunder as the cue ball careered into the yellow.
That saw the two-point ball ricochet towards the corner pocket before bouncing back away from danger.
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But more importantly, it slowed the white down as it ended up in a safer area with O’Sullivan unable to capitalise.
The BBC commentators – snooker icons Stephen Hendry and Dennis Taylor – could barely believe what they witnessed amid stunned silence in the Crucible crowd.
Hendry immediately said: “Well that was a very strange break, completely mishit that Ryan Day.
“Very fortunate to make contact with the yellow.”
Inside Ronnie's colourful career
FROM his lightning breaks to blasts at officials, Ronnie O'Sullivan has fired snooker into the spotlight.
The seven-time world champion makes almost as big an impact away from the table as on it.
O’Sullivan has three children – two daughters and a son.
And the Rocket’s on-off relationship with British actress Laila Rouass has also hit the headlines.
He has opened up on battles with his weight and addiction.
While the controversial cueist reckons he wasted NINE YEARS of his career by partying too hard.
Despite being worth £14million, O’Sullivan is renowned for his love of canal boats and snubbing flashy cars.
His rivalry with fellow star Judd Trump has been branded ‘snooker’s greatest feud’.
And Ali Carter had his nose knocked out of joint by the Rocket in their infamous ‘Snotgate’ row.
Check out all our Ronnie O’Sullivan articles here.
And Taylor added: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a break-off shot like that before.
“I don’t know what happened.
“I know he came back in and was sort of drying his hands but have a look at this.
“Very unusual. Came down the wrong side of the blue.”
It is not the first bonkers moment of the enthralling 2024 World Champs involving the pair.
Unlike his mishap against Ronnie, Day produced the “shot of the tournament” during his win over Barry Hawkins while O’Sullivan had to call out a refereeing blunder.
Earlier on in the tournament, one match was interrupted due to bizarre frog noises in the crowd.
Elsewhere, Mark Williams also handed his cue to a spectator after a frustrating miss and viewers could not believe their eyes when an optical illusion appeared to show ‘Granny O’Sullivan’ on the front row.