Snooker: O'sullivan Makes a Clean Breast of Past Mistakes

Ronnie O'Sullivan wore his heart not on his sleeve but on a T-shirt professing his love for snooker at a press conference he called in London yesterday to repair the damage to an image he suspects was caused by his remarks and actions at the season's first two ranking events. He plans to wear the same logo during the Masters, which begins at Wembley tomorrow.

After his 6-5 semi-final defeat of Barry Hawkins in October's Grand Prix in Preston, the twice world champion said: "I'm bored with the game and losing doesn't hurt me any more. I'd rather be at home planting a few shrubs in the garden. I wish the final would be abandoned so we can all go home early."

Next day a section of the crowd booed him into the arena and had part of his wish granted as John Higgins set two records in beating him 9-2: four centuries in a row and 494 unanswered points.

"It hurt. I was surprised and gutted because I'm not used to that kind of reception," he said yesterday. "A lot of the things that I say are spur of the moment. I just get frustrated and say things I hadn't ought to. I've made some remarks I shouldn't have made and I regret that, but no one should say I don't love the game. Snooker is my life. It's what I do 80% of the time. If I'm not playing, I'm planning or thinking about it."

O'Sullivan also attracted criticism for his antics in losing 9-6 to Mark King on the first televised day of last month's Travis Perkins Championship when he conceded a frame he was still able to win and chose to drape a towel over his head when his opponent was at the table.

He was warned by the referee for ungentlemanly conduct and was considered in some quarters to be fortunate not to receive a second warning which would have meant the forfeit of a frame. He failed to attend his mandatory post-match press conference, but said yesterday that he had heard nothing of any disciplinary action.

Stephen Hendry has overtaken him at the top of the provisional standings and O'Sullivan has not entered the Malta Cup, starting on January 30.

If Hendry were to go close to a successful defence in Malta it would leave O'Sullivan with much to do in the three remaining counting events - the Welsh Open, the China Open and the World Championship in Sheffield - to be ranked No1 when the list receives its annual official revision in May.