RONNIE O’SULLIVAN looked an even more smooth operator than usual – as he surged into a final with what seemed a shock change in appearance.
The snooker legend appeared to have shaved his arms as he overpowered Judd Trump 4-1 in the first ever Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker.
Perhaps the seven-time world champion had the attitude “hair today, gong tomorrow” as he set up a silverware showdown with Luca Brecel.
Even eagle-eyed viewers might have had to look twice as O’Sullivan unveiled what viewers reckoned were bare arms beneath a black polo top.
That would be an intriguing contrast to the decent foliage of dark hair he normally possesses.
And if the suspected upper-limb trim had any effect, it was “shear” magic.
That’s because the 48-year-old followed up his 4-0 thumping of John Higgins in the quarter-finals with another comfortable win.
O’Sullivan beat Trump for the fifth time in a row, albeit producing more graft than craft to grind out a 4-1 success.
He told Eurosport: “It was weird, it wasn’t great.
“Judd was probably the worst I’ve ever seen him.
“I think I dragged him down to my level, that’s what I seem to have been doing most of this season.
“I played really well last night and I had a bit of expectation coming in here thinking I could put two matches together playing well but that’s put that out the window.”
Such a frank verdict shows how O’Sullivan wears his heart on his sleeve – only this time there might well have been little else on his arms!
He now faces current world king Brecel, who was in hot form to sink Mark Allen 4-2 in the Saudi Arabian tournament.
The Belgian said: “I felt good. Every week I play a little bit better.”
