Ali Carter has said he no longer regards Ronnie O’Sullivan as a friend, despite an apparent improvement in relations earlier this year, insisting their long and often volatile relationship has broken down beyond repair.
The pair, who trained together as teenagers and later became two of the most recognisable figures on the snooker circuit, briefly appeared to draw a line under years of hostility in April when O’Sullivan described Carter as a “good lad”.
Carter, however, now says that sentiment masked deeper tensions that remain unresolved.
Speaking to the Telegraph and Argus, the 46-year-old made clear that he believes any meaningful friendship with O’Sullivan is impossible because of the former world No 1’s unpredictable temperament.
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“I don’t really have a relationship with Ronnie,” he said.
“Listen, he gets out of bed differently every day, so how can you have that relationship? When he’s alright, he’s fine, but when he’s not, he’s not, and a friendship can’t really work on terms like that.”
The pair’s rivalry has simmered for more than a decade and first erupted publicly at the 2018 World Championship, when they clashed mid-match in a shoulder-to-shoulder confrontation that drew widespread attention.
Ronnie O'Sullivan beat Ali Carter in the final of the 2024 Masters
| PAThe feud reignited last year after a fractious encounter at the Masters in which Carter criticised the Ally Pally crowd, branding some spectators “morons”, and complained that O’Sullivan had “snotted on the floor”.
O’Sullivan responded with one of the most X-rated press conferences of his career, launching an extended attack on Carter’s character.
“He needs to sort his fing life out,” O’Sullivan said at the time.
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Five quirky facts about snooker | PA“I’m not going to skirt around it anymore, tip-toeing on egg shells around someone like that.
"He’s a f***ing nightmare. Playing snooker against someone like that is a nightmare.
"He’s not a nice person. It’s not a nice vibe he leaves around the table. I’ve said my piece, I don’t give a s**t. I’ve said it now, done.
“You know what he’s like, everybody knows what he’s like. He’s got issues. F***ing why has he got issues with me? I’m not having it.
"I don’t care, grow some balls. I don’t give a f**k, I don’t give a f**k about any of these snooker players, any of them.
"The more he brings it on, the more I f***ing punish him every time. He’s just digging a grave for himself. I don’t give a f**k. That’s it, I’ve said my piece.”
Ronnie O'Sullivan and Ali Carter don't see eye-to-eye
| PAO’Sullivan concluded the outburst by raising his middle finger and adding: “He’s got beef with me. He’s got issues, he’s got to sort his life out, he’s got to see a counsellor or something.”
Although O’Sullivan later apologised for the tirade, Carter says the apology never translated into lasting reconciliation.
He recalled an incident during the Northern Ireland Open in the Covid period that convinced him he could no longer attempt civility.
“I basically stopped talking to him because he apologised to me for the shoulder barge, then tried to say he hadn’t,” Carter explained.
He said the apology had taken place at a Novotel, only for O’Sullivan to deny it years later. He added: “After that, I just thought: ‘What’s the point of talking to someone if they’re going to be like that?’”
Despite the personal animosity, Carter acknowledged O’Sullivan’s quality.
“I’ve got the ultimate respect for Ronnie as a snooker player,” he said. “He’s quite a funny guy actually, but he’s an odd character.”