Some of snooker’s biggest fights have taken place at the table. (Image: BBC / YouTube)
is often considered a gentleman’s game, filled with respect and gracious moments, but often even the biggest stars’ tempers can boil over.
The likes of , , Alex Higgins and Jimmy White have all been involved in bitter spats over the years, in some of the sports’ most controversial moments.
Here, Express Sport takes a look at the biggest fights of the baize in snooker history…
Ronnie O’Sullivan’s clash with Ali Carter at the table
The Rocket is no stranger to controversy, but made his fury with clear when he shoulder-barged the captain during their tie in 2018.
Even though the pair both grew up in Essex practising against one another, O’Sullivan caught Carter as they walked past him between table visits.
Carter raised a cheeky smile at the incident and went on to beat O’Sullivan 13-9 in the second round, before they both played down the exchange and shook hands at the end of the match.
“I did play a bit of a game because I thought ‘I’m not going to let him have the last word’,” Carter explained on .
“He’s gone ‘Oh yeah, I’ll give you one back’ and I said ‘Thanks for that’. He’s gone ‘I’m cool as a cucumber’ and he looked like he wanted to kill me at the time, he looked absolutely raging.”
Their feud was reignited at the 2024 final, when Carter accused O’Sullivan of “snotting all over the floor”.
O’Sullivan, victor on that day, : “He needs to sort his f***ing life out. I’m not going to skirt around it anymore, tip-toeing on eggshells around someone like that. He’s a f***ing nightmare.”
O’Sullivan also walked out of a match with Hendry at the 2006 , having gone down 4-0 he packed up his cue and left the venue to concede the match. That led to Hendry not speaking to O’Sullivan for three years.
Ronnie O’Sullivan bumping into Ali Carter at the Crucible. (Image: BBC.)
Alex Higgins’ face slammed into a cake
The late, great, Alex Higgins had no issue getting into angry spats with his rivals in the 1980s. He was tied 16-16 with Cliff Thorburn in the World Championship final when Higgins allegedly ordered a cake to Thorburn’s dressing room.
Thorburn, however, did not enjoy the celebratory dessert that arrived early and is said to have smashed Higgins’ face into it.
Thorburn raged at Higgins three years later at the Irish Open, when ‘Hurricane’ called Thorburn a “Canadian c***” and said that he was “s*** at snooker” according to .
Thorburn then punched Higgins to the floor and kicked him in the groin during their post-match scheduled handshake.
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Jimmy White knocking balls away
Jimmy White was forced to apologise in 2002 after he knocked a snooker ball off the table during his clash with Matthew Stevens.
He slammed the cue ball into the black after missing a routine shot, sending both balls flying, before losing 13-3.
The following day White said: “I would like to apologise for the way I reacted… It was caused by sheer frustration and was completely out of character.”
The cue ball flying in the air after Jimmy White’s meltdown. (Image: BBC.)
Crucible stars forcibly separated
Quinten Hann needed to beat his fierce rival Andy Hicks at the 2004 World Championship to stay in the top 16, but suffered a disappointing 10-4 loss.
In their handshake, Hicks was said to have told Hann: “That’s you out of the top 16.”
The pair had to be separated by the referee after a physical tussle, with Hann allegedly responding: “You’re short and bald and always will be, and I’ll fight you in the street for 50 grand any time you like.”
Quinten Hann and Andy Hicks squaring up to each other. (Image: BBC.)
Drunk Higgins struck press officer
After losing to Steve James in the first round of the 1990 World Championship to Steve James, Higgins remained slouched in his chair and continued to order several vodka and orange drinks.
Before his press conference began, he punched tournament official Colin Randle in the stomach before announcing his abrupt retirement from snooker.
Higgins was banned for the rest of the season and the entirety of the next, in his third such incident after being accused of attacking Paul Hatherall and Terry Riley. He was fined £12,000 for heatbutting Hatherall.
In 2007, at a charity match, Riley said: “It was a punch and officials are not there to be punched.”