RONNIE REGRET

RONNIE O’SULLIVAN has revealed he regrets his explosive X-rated Ali Carter rant ahead of their hotlyanticipated grudge match at the World Championship today.

- By Shane MacDermott

The Essex pair practised together when they were young but have been embroiled in a bitter rivalry in recent years.

The Rocket called Carter a “f***ing nightmare”, after his nemesis accused him of “snotting” on the Alexandra Palace floor in the aftermath of last year’s Masters final.

And it will be the first time they have clashed at the Crucible, where O'Sullivan has twice beaten Carter in finals, since their infamous “barge-gate” incident in 2018.

Fifth seed O’Sullivan, who begins his quest for a record eighth world title today, said:

“It was probably just heat-of-the-moment stuff at the time.

“T’ve always said I wished I wouldn’t have said what I said but I can’t take it back.”