We wish all sports people were this direct about injuries.
On Tuesday we brought you the rather unpleasant picture of what were then told was Ronnie O’Sullivan’s badly twisted ankle. O’Sullivan had hoped it would get better but by the time he began his UK Championship campaign in York last night, against Daniel Wells, it had been confirmed that O’Sullivan had in fact broken his ankle.
Undaunted, O’Sullivan strapped on a protective boot and hopped his way around the table, beating Wells 6-2 while resting his leg on a stool during every possible break in play.
In the post-match press conference, as quoted in the Mirror, O’Sullivan was typically direct about the exact nature of his injury and how he would cope for the the rest of the event.
“The injury is very disappointing for me, a broken ankle and it was not comfortable for me out there. To be honest, I didn’t enjoy any of that. It was painful for me to play with it. It is broken, so I am f****d, basically.
“As far as pulling out goes I practised and then wanted to see what would happen out there. But it swelled up and I was all over the gaff out there, if it doesn’t improve I’m not sure I can play the next match. I couldn’t get on the shot properly.
“I was hobbling around and it was swelling up and very painful. I did all I could do and took painkillers but if it is not better by Sunday then I probably won’t play.”
As for the cause of the injury, it was O’Sullivan’s famous love of running that did the damage.
“I am gutted, it is so frustrating. I am enjoying my snooker more than ever. So to do that running I am really angry with myself.
“I am so f*****g annoyed at myself, maybe I should stop running until the end of my career. I fell over in the forest running with my mate. I looked at my watch and slipped after he asked me what the time was.”
