Ronnie O’Sullivan makes cheeky dig at Mark Selby while gushing over Judd Trump red at Scottish Open

ByEurosport

Updated 29/11/2022 at 15:52 GMT

World No. 1 Ronnie O’Sullivan decided to take a cheeky dig at Mark Selby when discussing styles in snooker with Judd Trump at the Scottish Open. In a fascinating chat between this year’s World Championship finalists, O’Sullivan referenced his great rival Selby after Trump revealed he felt like he was “not playing well” despite making a 147 maximum break on his way to beating Mitchell Mann.

'I love this shot!' - O'Sullivan on Trump's audacious red against Mann

Ronnie O’Sullivan dished out a cheeky dig towards Mark Selby when talking about styles in snooker with Judd Trump at the Scottish Open.

Trump admitted he was “not playing well” despite making a 147 on his way to beating Mitchell Mann 4-0 in the second round on Tuesday.

O’Sullivan and Trump are known for their fast play compared to other players, whilst Selby plays a more cautious game which can turn frames into a tactical battle.

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The Rocket was also impressed with an audacious red from Trump in the final frame as the world No. 3 hit the white off the cushion and into the pack of reds at pace to execute a plant shot which O'Sullivan "loved".

“You don’t want to do a Selby - be out there three hours and get beat,” O’Sullivan said in the Eurosport studio.

“He [Trump] is not that type of player though. He won’t enjoy winning by playing long frames.

“For him to win the tournament, he’s a bit like me, he’s got to feel good about attacking the balls.

“We wouldn’t win by playing Selby’s style, we’re not good enough to do that. Selby has such superhuman powers of concentration to keep focusing but with Judd his best chance to win a tournament is if he’s flying, attacking the balls and scaring the life out of people.

“At some point you have to play that game, even if you don’t feel like it because at some point it might happen. It might just catch fire at some point and here you go.”

'Even when he can't see them he's dangerous!' - Watch Trump's wonder plant

Trump, who is yet to reach the semi-finals of a ranking tournament this season, made his eighth televised maximum break in the opening frame of his win against Mann.

O’Sullivan asked him whether he wanted to make history by making two 147s in the match, something nobody has ever done.

“I was going to try but I wasn’t playing very well,” answered Trump. “But for some reason I made a 147, I think it takes the pressure off when you don’t really care.

“When you know you’re playing well, you feel under pressure to get it. I would rather go home then play these grinding shots.”

Trump says he watched O’Sullivan’s incredible century from Monday night with laughter as the seven-time world champion came just three seconds short of Tony Drago’s record of the fastest century in snooker.

“It’s funny isn’t it,” he said. “There’s only a handful of people that are relaxed to play like that and not worry about what people say if it goes wrong.

“You can’t think about that kind of stuff. It’s the best way to play and only two or three people would attempt that and it came off.

“It’s just something that gives Ronnie a buzz, to beat everyone’s records.”

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