'I am going to have to bring a hairdryer' - Ronnie O'Sullivan baffled by 'wet' seat in John Higgins match

Updated 01/05/2022 at 10:21 GMT

World snooker No. 1 Ronnie O'Sullivan was able to finish off John Higgins relatively comfortably in the conclusion of their World Championship semi-final on Saturday, but one obstacle he found a little unusual was a wet seat. The six-time champion had to complain to the match referee, who was equally nonplussed by the situation.

‘I was a bit unsettled!’ – O’Sullivan on 'seatgate', lack of dressing room and missing chalk

After the unusual drama of a pigeon on the table, Ronnie O’Sullivan suffered an unusual distraction as he battled a wet chair against John Higgins.

The two veterans, and legends of the sport, played out the remaining frames of their World Championship semi-final at the Crucible in York on Saturday, and the sic-time winner emerged victorious 17-11.

He will now go on to play former No. 1, Judd Trump, in the final for the season showpiece.

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However while O’Sullivan was a worthy winner over his opponent, he had to take on more than the hugely experienced Scot to reach the final.

With the scores at 15-10, the Rocket came to the table looking to wrap up the frame, which he duly managed.

However as he returned to his seat to the sound of appreciative applause from the crowd, he told the referee Marcel Eckardt that his, ‘seat is wet,’ and began his attempts to dry it down, leaving the commentators and match official nonplussed.

As the German referee came to assist, he was heard to say, "Not sure how this can be, to be honest," with no clue of how the seat managed to be soaked.

Speaking at the end of the match, O’Sullivan discussed his discomfort.

“It must have been wet as I sat down and was drenched. It must have been wet from before. I am going to have to bring a hairdryer,” he joked, before explaining that it was far from the only disruption he had been subjected to.

“And as I turned up to the venue I did not have a dressing room. I forgot my chalk, I was a bit unsettled tonight, it was not ideal.”