Following their argument, Ronnie O’Sullivan responds, advising the snooker referee to “chill out.”

Following their argument, Ronnie O’Sullivan responds, advising the snooker referee to “chill out.”

Ronnie O’Sullivan insists he ‘doesn’t need the hassle’ after he refused to comment on his row with referee Desislava Bozhilova at the snooker World Championships after telling the match official to ‘chill out’.

The 48-year-old’s quest for an eighth title ended last night following a 13-10 defeat to Stuart Bingham.

A tense and dramatic encounter was, however, partially overshadowed by several controversial flashpoints involving the seven-times champion and Bozhilova.

During an interview which took place before the evening session, O’Sullivan had already claimed referees were out to get him following a bizarre incident during the 12th frame.

He was initially praised for an act of sportsmanship after seeming to play safe rather than opting to pot a red close to the black because he believed the black had not been spotted correctly.

O’Sullivan repeatedly asked referee Bozhilova to replace the ball because he believed it was rolling fractionally off its spot, incorrectly giving him an opportunity to pot it.

The world number one, who was 14 points behind and on a break of 20, eventually lost the frame but was hailed for his gesture, with former world champion Neil Robertson, commentating on the BBC, calling it ‘the greatest bit of sportsmanship I’ve ever seen’.

As the matched edged towards its dramatic conclusion O’Sullivantold Bozhilova to ‘chill’ after an incident in which she asked him to resume playing while he waited for some spectators to retake their seats in the arena.

‘Would you take your seats quickly, and then hold the door closed for a minute,’ Bozhilova said.

Bozhilova then urged O’Sullivan to take his shot, but he refused and remained sat in his chair.

‘But we might wait 20 minutes,’ Bozhilova said.