My left hand is better than his right, claims Ronnie O'Sullivan antics rattle Robidoux

RONNIE O'Sullivan was once the darling little boy of the snooker world, a 17 year-old who won titles at a record age, and who upset the more established players by beating them. He also has a tendency to upset them by ``showboating'' - playing shots in ways which show a lack of respect for his opponent.

The 20-year-old world No.3 yesterday beat Canadian No.1 Alain Robidoux 10-3 in the first round of the #1.2m Embassy World Championship.

However, the Chigwell youngster hardly endeared himself to Robidoux, by playing much of the eleventh frame left-handed. Robidoux responded by playing on long after the frame was lost, with a deficit of 43 points and only pink and black left on the table.

At the end of the match, in which O'Sullivan produced two century breaks, Robidoux did not shake hands. ``He started it. He didn't shake hands with me at the start, so I did the same to him,'' he explained.

The feud continued when O'Sullivan then savaged the mild-mannered Canadian in a radio interview. ``He was rubbish - he shouldn't have been on the same table as me. I was rubbish as well, but I still beat him 10-3,'' said O'Sullivan.

When asked why he had played left-handed, O'Sullivan added: ``I felt comfortable playing left-handed. I've made 90-breaks with my left-hand - I'm better with my left hand than he was with his right. Anyway, the crowd enjoyed it and that's the main thing.''

However, Robidoux thought otherwise. ``He's been like that in the past,'' said the world No.18, referring to O'Sullivan's tendency to play some shots with the wrong hand - or even one-handed, as he did against Mark Williams in the British Open.

``It was good for the crowd, sure, but not for the player. I was playing bad and he was doing that. It was just disrespectful. Ronnie doesn't need to do that - he is a talented player.

``But if Ronnie wants to do all of these things he can do it at exhibitions - not in professional matches.''

In the second round O'Sullivan will play Tony Drago, who was a 10-2 winner over Steve James, and such antics against the volative man from Malta could severely endanger the Essex boy's well-being.

Drago had his own gripes, having been written off by Ian Doyle and Stephen Hendry before the start of the tournament.

``I'd just like to thank them for saying that Steve James was the best bet in the tournament. I might be very emotional, but I have plenty of bottle. Stephen may be a great player, but he's not a good judge about people.

``I've been under pressure lately so, before I came here, I went back home to Malta to practise. On the first night I was there, I went out and got really drunk - and then got up the next morning and made a maximum.

``I just said to myself, that's the way to do it - play totally relaxed,'' said the 30-year-old. ``So now I'm going back to London to get drunk again.

``I can relax now. The only pressure that is on me now is to do well in the tournament, rather than have the pressure of trying to stay in the top 16.''

Peter Ebdon wasted little time last night in clinching the two frames needed to complete a 10-1 victory over Dene O'Kane. The hapless New Zealander had won the first frame of the match but Ebdon clinically reeled off 10 frames in a row.

Weekend results and positions:

S Hendry (Scotland) beat J Ferguson (England) 10-8; T Drago (Malta) beat S James (England) 10-2; D Harold (England) beat N Foulds (England) 10-4; R O'Sullivan (England) beat A Robidoux (Canada) 10-3; P Ebdon (England) beat D O'Kane (New Zealand) 10-3; D Roe (England) leads G Wilkinson (England) 6-3.

TODAY'S ORDER OF PLAY

10.30 - Roe v Wilkinson; S Davis (England) v W Thorne (England).

3pm - J Parrott (England) v R Lawler (England); A McManus (Scotland) v M Price (England).

7.30 - Davis v Thorne; N Bond (England) v A Hamilton (England).