Ronnie O’Sullivan stormed out of his first-round snooker World Open clash against Ross Muir after suffering a problem with his waistcoat.
The Rocket, 50, grew increasingly frustrated with a logo on his waistcoat, which was somehow disrupting his cueing.
And O’Sullivan shocked the crowd in Yushan, China, when he simply walked out on the match to go and sort his issue, causing a several-minute delay.
He had been fiddling with the badge and when he stooped down to take a shot, he was clearly uncomfortable.
O’Sullivan bent over several times to try and line up a shot with the black, but on each occasion aborted the effort due to his discomfort.
The seven-time world champion did eventually re-emerge and went on to beat his Scottish opponent 5-1.
Ronnie O’Sullivan quickly stormed away from his first-round snooker World Open match
The seven-time world champion was repeatedly troubled by one of the logos on his waistcoat
However, even after returning, his problem persisted and he continually fiddled with the logo on his waistcoat.
His garment nightmare wasn’t the only disruption of the match.
Muir was delayed in taking one of his shots after a fly decided to land on the cue ball just moments before he struck it.
O’Sullivan at least has some time to recompose himself and perhaps pay a visit to the tailor.
The snooker legend and world No 12 has been granted a bye into the third round, skipping the second, after his prospective opponent Singh Chadha withdrew.
If he goes all the way and wins the final, he will pocket £175,000 in prize money.
O’Sullivan has won the World Open once before (in 2004) and finished runner-up on three occasions.
He is now based in Dubai with his wife Laila Rouass, with the duo having moved there following their wedding last summer.
O’Sullivan met Rouass, an actress known for Footballers’ Wives and for finishing fourth on Strictly Come Dancing, in 2012. They got engaged in 2013, but their relationship was an on-off rollercoaster. After announcing their separation late last year, they surprised everyone by marrying in June before opting to relocate.
In Dubai, the seven-time world champion has cut off social media completely, and his phone has no messaging apps, news apps, or even a web browser. Only a handful of friends and family can reach him directly.
He told The Sunday Times: ‘I wish I’d done it before, I might do it every six months. I’m not looking to progress my career through networking and that sort of thing. I’ve got my friends and that’s enough. The phone doesn’t really add to my life. So it’s quite nice, really.’
Their choice of Dubai was largely influenced by his new wife. Rouass, of Moroccan origin, wanted a sunny home and an improved lifestyle.
‘We’re not there for a bouji sort of lifestyle. I just like the simplicity of it there, the weather’s great,’ he said.
The pair have not commented on their situation since Iran started targeting Dubai with missiles and drones.
