Ronnie O’Sullivan v Hossein Vafaei: Snooker chief Barry Hearn 'fell off chair laughing' after Vafaei jibe

WST president Barry Hearn confessed he fell off his chair laughing after hearing Hossein Vafaei claim Ronnie O’Sullivan was “such a nice person – when he’s asleep”. O’Sullivan and Vafaei meet in a hotly anticipated grudge match in the World Championship second round across three sessions on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Ad The build-up to the match has been dominated by their war of words.

Vafaei said he wants to “shut” O’Sullivan’s mouth in an astonishing broadside after the seven-time champion warned other players to not “rattle my cage” earlier in the week. World ChampionshipExclusive: O'Sullivan gives key illness update ahead of showdown with Vafaei17 HOURS AGO Hearn said that genuine rivalries could only help snooker, especially with the younger generation. Speaking to Eurosport ahead of the match, the 74-year-old said: “The trouble with snooker is you say: ‘I’ve got two lovely lads out there, they’re playing a lovely game and playing really well’.

And the younger audience go ‘it’s a bit yawny, we need something’. “Someone making a fabulous shot or Kyren Wilson’s 147, things like that, are of course massive news and are brilliant to entertain fans. But we are in the entertainment business.

“I mean I love Hossein’s comment – ‘I like Ronnie O’Sullivan when he’s asleep’. I just fell off my chair laughing. “And I can see Ronnie going ‘let’s get on the table and see who’s got the funny lines after that’.