World Snooker Championship 2023 LIVE – Neil Robertson in action, Ronnie O’Sullivan v Hossein Vafaei to come

Friday’s schedule – Second round

10:00

• Luca Brecel 4-4 Mark Williams
• Jak Jones v Neil Robertson

14:30

• Ronnie O’Sullivan v Hossein Vafaei
• Mark Allen 5-3 Stuart Bingham

19:00

• Luca Brecel v Mark Williams
• Jak Jones v Neil Robertson

Essential reading ahead of O’Sullivan v Vafaei…

Exclusive: ‘I’m an easy target’ – O’Sullivan responds to astonishing Vafaei attack

Ronnie O’Sullivan has given his response to Hossein Vafaei ahead of their eagerly-anticipated last-16 showdown at the World Championship amid the latest instalment of their ongoing spat.

Asked what he made of Vafaei’s attack, O’Sullivan told Eurosport: “I don’t take it personally. I think I’m kind of used to that, I had it as a junior growing up, I had it as an amateur, I had it as an early-season pro, and you still continue to get it.

“It has kind of followed me around my whole career really, but it is what it is, you know? You just have to play your game and just do your job.

“I think maybe I am a bit of an easy target because if I do an interview about my own game or whatever, obviously they will pick something out and there will be a headline. If I’m not playing, then generally they will ask other players what they think about what I’ve said, and the interview is about them talking about me.

“So I can’t win, really – do you know what I mean? The press is always going to find a question to ask someone. Some people are going to have stronger opinions than others so they are going to voice those opinions. It just is what it is.”

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