It has been a good month for Ronnie O'Sullivan, who has lifted two titles over the last few weeks and added £250,000 in prize money in the process.
Having won the Hong Kong at the start of October, he would go on to win the Champion of Champions event a few weeks later. It was a brilliant performance from 'The Rocket' in the final of the latter, running out as a 10-6 winner over Judd Trump.
While he would come out on the losing side in that one, it was Trump who provided the most memorable moment of the match. It came in the eighth frame, with the Englishman producing a brilliant 147-break to wow the crowd.
Judd Trump hits a 147 in the Champion of Champions final!
Out of the 181 maximums in snooker history, it's only the second ever to be made against Ronnie O'Sullivan. The first was when Stephen Hendry did it in a deciding frame of a final in 1997! pic.twitter.com/XPItPFTbRR— Chris Hammer (@ChrisHammer180) November 6, 2022
One person that didn't seem that impressed was his opponent.
While players would traditionally get up to shake the hand of their opponent after a maximum break, O'Sullivan did not do so on this occasion.
He came in for some criticism as a result, including from fellow pros Ken Doherty and Mark Allen.
What's everyone thinking about Ronnie O'Sullivan not acknowledging or congratulating Judd Trump for his 147? pic.twitter.com/eqTRWWmyx1
— Chris Hammer (@ChrisHammer180) November 6, 2022
Glad @kendoherty1997 mentioned in studio @ronnieo147 not shaking @juddtrump hand when making the max. I know it’s not a rule you have to but I’m confident saying it’s the first time it’s ever happened. 2 secs to show some respect isn’t asking much from someone who so many admire
— Mark Allen (@pistol147) November 6, 2022
Ronnie O'Sullivan laughs off 147 criticism
However, Ronnie O'Sullivan believes the reaction to the incident has been much ado about nothing.
Speaking on Eurosport this afternoon, he said that he does not view a 147 as a huge deal so the handshake did not cross his mind. He also admitted that he was so in the zone that he was not really thinking about what his opponent had just pulled off.
🗣️”For me, a 147, I get why the people think it’s an amazing thing to do but for me, I don’t find it a difficult thing to do.”
🚀 Ronnie O’Sullivan explains why he didn’t shake Judd Trump’s hand after the 147#CazooUKChampionship | @WeAreWST | @ronnieo147 pic.twitter.com/pHLfY8eYSj— Eurosport (@eurosport) November 12, 2022
I get why the people think it's an amazing thing to do, but for me I don't find it a difficult thing to do. When I see someone else do it, I think 'that's quite normal'.
The most important thing going through my head was that I still had one more frame to play. It was 6-2 and I was thinking 'I still need to win this last frame'.
I was probably too much in the zone. If my concentration hadn't been so good, maybe I would have got caught up with it...
I was surprised afterwards that Judd actually went for the 147, because there was no surprise for it. I'm all about risk and reward...
It wasn't intentional or psychological. I don't play psychological, I just believe that you play good snooker, pot the balls, and that should be the way it's done.
I'm not on social media, so I didn't have to hear much about it. It's like water off a duck's back when it comes to criticism, it doesn't actually do anything to me anymore.
As mentioned above, this was only the second time that a player had made a 147 break in a match against O'Sullivan.
It certainly seems as though his reaction at the time was misinterpreted.
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