John Higgins has accused Ronnie O'Sullivan of deliberately using an outdated type of chalk to unsettle his opponents, describing the tactic as 'brutal'. The issue of chalk became a major talking point at the World Championship this year, with O'Sullivan sticking to a brand that most professionals have abandoned in favour of Finnish brand Taom, which reduces kicks and mess on the cloth.
Higgins' claims about O'Sullivan's motive
'It was well-documented at the Crucible that O'Sullivan uses a different chalk to everybody else. It's brutal,' Higgins said on the Not Another Football Podcast. 'But I think he does it to just put everybody else off when he doesn't need to, but it's just a wee thing in the head because he knows it messes with our heads.' Higgins beat O'Sullivan 13-12 in the second round at the Crucible, experiencing the chalk situation firsthand over 25 frames.
'It's a nightmare with kicks,' Higgins added. 'The very last shot, I potted a red and I was just rolling through for the black and I've got a massive kick and I think I shouted “Oh my God” because your head's gone into a jam jar. I think he does it because he's got the best cue ball out of anybody so he can override all these little kicks. So it's as if he's like, “right, try and deal with this while I can deal with my own.”'
O'Sullivan's own explanation and Robertson's criticism
Higgins acknowledged that O'Sullivan has a different reason for using the chalk. 'He just thinks with that chalk he gets more grip on the cue ball, that's what he says. He says he's tried all the chalk you are using and he feels as if he miscues more. That's what he says.'
Former world champion Neil Robertson was outspoken about the chalk at the Crucible, calling for a ban. 'Ban that crap, please!' Robertson said after beating Chris Wakelin in the second round. 'All the players hate it, it destroys the game. You get kicks, you get bounces. Not only that, it makes an absolute mess of the table. I know he [O'Sullivan] is good friends with Damien Hirst, but it's like he's doing artwork with chalk all over the cloth.'
Robertson disagreed with Higgins' view that O'Sullivan uses it deliberately to put opponents off. 'I don't think he does it to put off anyone, he's not that way inclined at all, but it's not great. It's hard enough to play Ronnie O'Sullivan, but he's the only player, just about, on tour who uses that chalk. Hopefully they bring in a ban, but there's only a couple of players who use it.'
Higgins' earlier comments after beating O'Sullivan
After his victory in April, Higgins said: 'He uses the other chalk, so that's what makes the table play a little bit bouncy and it's all messy and different things, so it's tough to play against, but you've just got to try and get it out of your mind. Why wouldn't you take the advantage when you have got a better cue ball control than every other player? So why wouldn't you have that advantage? Because if you're going in at a level playing field, everybody's using the same chalk, no chalk marks, everything, it maybe gives players more chance of beating them. Now, that's what people do in every sport, they try to use the little advantage. I don't know, you'd obviously have to ask Ronnie's real feelings about that, about using old chalk.'
