Ali Carter has shared which game against Ronnie O’Sullivan left him feeling gutted the most.
The Captain is a two-time World Snooker Championship finalist – but has come up against O’Sullivan both times.
He recently bemoaned the luck that Kyren Wilson got when he managed to win the title after playing just one top-16 player in the whole tournament.
Now, Carter has been discussing his feud with O’Sullivan that stems back some years and there is one moment that he feels the most upset about.
Ali Carter shares the clash with Ronnie O’Sullivan that left him the most gutted
Despite a period of playing each other that goes back over 20 years, Carter’s hardest moment to take against O’Sullivan came this year.
It came back in January when Carter led O’Sullivan 5-3 after the first session of the Masters but lost 10-7 after a resurgent comeback.
Carter has taken a swipe at O’Sullivan for how he treated him in the first session of that final as he left the Essex-based potter gutted.
He told Stephen Hendry’s Cue Tips: “I think where I was most gutted (against Ronnie O’Sullivan) was the Masters in January. I was playing great all week, I had a record nine centuries in the whole event.
“I was 5-3 up in the final, he was going for absolutely everything showing me no respect.
“He went absolutely granite and I wilted a little bit. The crowd was just a bear pit in there, I had three blokes and I just wanted to get my cue and you know sort them out.”
Carter capable of claiming big events still
It might feel as though at 44 the days of Carter competing in big finals are over but that isn’t the case.
Carter has never lifted a triple crown event, although he’s been in four finals without getting over the line.
With players like O’Sullivan and Mark Williams still competing for titles, that will surely give Carter some optimism.
Last season was his best season for some time and if he can just keep putting the hours in and working hard at his game, titles should come.
Carter is one of the best match players on the tour and it will be fascinating to see how he does this season.