Ronnie O’Sullivan and Ali Carter will resume their rivalry at the German Masters after years of feuding
Ronnie O’Sullivan and Ali Carter are gearing up to reignite their rivalry this Wednesday at the German Masters. The English snooker heavyweights will face off in the round of 32 at the Tempodrom, a match that comes amidst a history of on-table clashes and off-table jibes.
Their feud dates back to the early 2000s when O’Sullivan and Carter were practice partners. However, the animosity between them came to the fore during the 2018 World Snooker Championship at the Crucible.
During their second-round match, which O’Sullivan won 13-9, a notorious ‘shoulder barge’ incident took place. As the players crossed paths at the table during the 20th frame, O’Sullivan seemed to intentionally bump into Carter.
“We touched shoulders before the second incident. So we’re sitting [close] together, it’s so tight [at the Crucible],” Carter explained to Stephen Hendry on his Cue Tips YouTube channel. “I became aware that the first one, he was walking back but there is plenty of room to go like that [walk past each other].
JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! All the best sports news and much more on our dedicated Facebook page
“I was aware that we’d touched shoulders on the way past and I’m thinking, ‘Does he want me to go like this, or like that?’ [leans over the snooker table]. I don’t know, if it was courteous you’d just go like that [moves to one side], but I was aware there was no giving way.
READ MORE: Ronnie O’Sullivan’s true character shone through as he left opponent’s family stunnedREAD MORE: How to watch Ronnie O’Sullivan at German Masters: TV channel and streaming
“The second time, he’s given it that to me [mimics shoulder barge]. I thought ‘Oh, god, what’s going on here?’ Referee Paul Collier intervened, attempting to ease the tension, though O’Sullivan maintained he was “cool as a cucumber.”
Carter strongly disagreed and told Hendry his opponent appeared as if he “wanted to kill him.” “He looked absolutely raging,” he explained. “That was pretty much it. If it was an amateur you’d get your cue and go like that [hold it in front of him], push him out the way, wouldn’t you? The trouble is, general public don’t see that [O’Sullivan’s behaviour].
“He’s very much using his authority to say, ‘This is my table, you’re just taking part here.’” The feud remained quiet for several years before erupting back into public view during the 2024 Masters final at Alexandra Palace. O’Sullivan triumphed 10-7 to secure his eighth Masters title, but the aftermath dominated the headlines.
Carter criticised O’Sullivan for “snotting all over the floor” during the match, calling it “disgusting” and “outrageous.” O’Sullivan responded with a blistering attack during his press conference, telling Carter to “sort his f***ing life out” and suggesting he needed counselling for his problems. The bitter row was later dubbed ‘snot-gate’ by supporters and the media.
“He can sit on it as far as I’m concerned,” O’Sullivan fumed. “I don’t give a f***. You know what he’s like, everybody knows what he’s like. He’s got issues. F******* 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***. The more he brings it on, the more I f****** punish him every time.
“Absolutely. He’s just digging a grave for himself. He needs to sort his f****** life out. That’s it, I’ve said my piece. I’m not going to skirt around it anymore, tiptoeing on eggshells around someone like that.
“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, and you’re going to write what you’re going to write. I don’t give a s***. I’ve said it now, done. End of press conference? I suppose you’ve got your headlines, haven’t you?”
Several months later, O’Sullivan acknowledged his regret over those remarks, saying: “Yeah. It’s just heat of the moment stuff. If I feel like I’ve got to say something I’ll say it. It’s nothing personal, just heat of the moment stuff. He’s entitled to say what he’s got to say, like I am.
“Do I regret saying it? Probably. I wish I’d kept my mouth shut and been a bit more polished with my answers, a bit more diplomatic. But I’ve said what I’ve said and that’s fine. It’s only words isn’t it? He goes back to his life, his family and I do. We only have to meet on the table, it’s not like we’re best mates but it’s fine, we’re both pretty grown up.”
Carter subsequently expressed bewilderment over the dispute, pointing out they had been “quite friendly” previously, though he acknowledged their relationship had deteriorated. When the 2025 World Snooker Championship draw pitted them against each other in the opening round, anticipation of further tension mounted.
O’Sullivan cruised to a commanding 10-1 triumph, yet what followed hinted at a possible reconciliation. Carter hailed O’Sullivan as “the greatest player of all time.” The Rocket responded with similar respect, and briefly, it appeared the dispute had been resolved. Unfortunately, the truce proved fleeting.
Towards the end of 2025, Carter rekindled the feud with new comments before the UK Championship. He revealed they were no longer speaking after The Rocket attempted to deny the shoulder barge incident, despite having apologised for it.
“I don’t really have a relationship with Ronnie,” he told Bradford’s Telegraph and Argus. “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.
Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
“I basically stopped talking to him because he apologised to me for the shoulder barge, then tried to say he hadn’t. I remember the apology vividly because we were at a Novotel and he said sorry for what had happened at Sheffield. I told him it was no issue, because it was just heat-of-the-moment stuff.
“But I was playing him in the Northern Ireland Open during the Covid lockdown and [former player turned pundit] Alan McManus talked about it being a needle match between Ronnie and I.
“I told Alan that wasn’t the case at all, it was water under the bridge and we’d moved on. But then, before the match, Ronnie came up to me and said I was making it up that he’d apologised to me. “After that, I just thought, ‘What’s the point of talking to someone if they’re going to be like that?’”
Despite this, Carter stressed his respect for snooker’s greatest player, commenting: “I’ve got the ultimate respect for Ronnie as a snooker player. He’s quite a funny guy actually, but he’s an odd character.”
