Hossein Vafai said some time ago that Ronnie O’Sullivan would be better off walking away from snooker. Having suffered a defeat without the right to appeal against the untitled world champion (13-2), the Iranian said what the “Rocket” gave him at the end of the round of 16 match at the Crucible.

Ronnie O’Sullivan after emphatic win over Hossein Wafai: ‘Let’s be friends again’

There was no room for drama, the match between O’Sullivan and Vafaei went in one direction. There was no need for a third session, Ronnie finished the game with a decisive score of 13-2.

At the end of the match, the multiple world champion hugged the Iranian and said a few words to him.

Quoted by the BBC, Vafaei said, among other things, that O’Sullivan told him it was over and that they should be friends again.

“At the end of the game, he told me: everything is over, let’s be friends again. It doesn’t matter if we win or lose. I just lost to the greatest player ever.

I conquered my fears, I don’t care what people say about me. After all, it will be just words.

He played fantastic (without O’Sullivan), nobody plays snooker like him. When he’s at the table, he makes snooker look so easy. I was like, uh, do I have to compete with this guy at the table?

I understand my lesson 100%, but now I know how to teach other players too – I will be dangerous. I learned something from his game, that aspect will help me in the future” – Hossein Vafaiat the end of the snooker WC’s Ronnie O’Sullivan, quoted by the BBC.

O’Sullivan v Hossain, scored in each frame

78(78)-1 / 78(78)-0 / 53-70(64) / 120(69,51)-0 / 74-29 / 102(102)-0 / 88(57)-42 / 44- 64(58) / 86-7 / 60(58)-59(59) / 89(68)-0 / 82(82)-47 / 72(64)-2 / 107(107)-0 / 116(116 ) )-16.

+50 breaks reached by two

O’Sullivan: 116, 107, 102, 82, 78, 78, 69, 68, 64, 58, 57, 51

Vafaei: 64, 59, 58

Total points: O’Sullivan (1249) – Vafai (337)

After winning the Crucible, O’Sullivan leads 3-1 in head-to-head matches against Vafai (28 years old, ranked 23rd in the world).

Know:

• In the quarter-finals of the World Snooker Championship, Ronnie O’Sullivan will meet the ninth player in the world, Luka Bresel.

• The Belgian made one of the surprises in the Crucible, beating Mark Williams (three-time world champion – 2000, 2003 and 2018) with a score of 13-11.

• At the age of 47, O’Sullivan is the world number one and has been crowned Crucible champion 7 times in a dream career: 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020 and 2022.

How to play at the World Snooker Championship

• Disputes in the first round were held according to the “best of 19 frames” system. The second round will be best of 25 frames, the same as the quarters.

• In the semi-finals, the winner will be determined by the “best of 33 shots” system. Finally, in the grand final, the winner will be decided after the “best of 35 frames”.

How it will be in the final

• There will be 8 frames in the first session of the final. The second session will consist of 9 frames, the third of 8 frames. Finally, the final session will have a maximum of 10 frames (may or may not all be played, depending on the score on the table).

How WC Snooker 2023 money is distributed

Winner: £500,000

Second place: £200,000

Semi-Final: £100,000

Quarters: £50,000

Second round: £30,000

First round: £20,000.

You can read the full presentation of the World Snooker Championship here.

List of all Crucible champions

2022 – Ronnie O’Sullivan

2021 – Mark Selby

2020 – Ronnie O’Sullivan

2019 – Judd Trump

2018 – Mark Williams

2017 – Mark Selby

2016 – Mark Selby

2015 – Stuart Bingham

2014 – Mark Selby

2013 – Ronnie O’Sullivan

2012 – Ronnie O’Sullivan

2011 – John Higgins

2010 – Neil Robertson

2009 – John Higgins

2008 – Ronnie O’Sullivan

2007 – John Higgins

2006 – Graham Dott

2005 – Sean Murphy

2004 – Ronnie O’Sullivan

2003 – Mark Williams

2002 – Peter Ebdon

2001 – Ronnie O’Sullivan

2000 – Mark Williams

1999 – Stephen Hendy

1998 – John Higgins

1997 – Ken Doherty

1996 – Stephen Hendry

1995 – Stephen Hendry

1994 – Stephen Hendry

1993 – Stephen Hendry

1992 – Stephen Hendry

1991 – John Parrott

1990 – Stephen Hendry

1989 – Steve Davis

1988 – Steve Davis

1987 – Steve Davis

1986 – Joe Johnson

1985 – Dennis Taylor

1984 – Steve Davis

1983 – Steve Davis

1982 – Alex Higgins

1981 – Steve Davis

1980 – Cliff Thorburn

1979 – Terry Griffiths

1987 – Ray Reardon

1977 – John Spencer.

The Crucible Theater is a place where dreams come true

• The Crucible Theater was located in the center of Sheffield (South Yorkshire) and was built in 1971.

• Architect: “RHWL ​​Architects” (1961-2015). Since 1977, hosts the World Snooker Championship every year.

• Address: 55 Norfolk Street, Sheffield. It is designed for 980 seats. He appeared at the “Playhouse of the Repertory Theater”. In addition to snooker, competitions were also played here table tennis and squash.

• It underwent renovations between 2007 and 2009 and was officially re-opened on February 18, 2010. The total cost of the renovation was 15 million pounds.