Ronnie O’Sullivan walks a match in someone else’s shoes – and wins no problem

Ronnie O'Sullivan had to swap out his shoes for tournament director Mike Ganley's on Wednesday, and 'they felt great' he said as he smoked Craig Steadman at the World Championships.

Ronnie O'Sullivan of England lines up a shot during his match against Craig Steadman of on Wednesday at the 2015 Snooker World Championships in Sheffield. Nigel Roddis / Getty Images / April 22, 2015

Ronnie O’Sullivan completed a routine 10-3 victory over debutant Craig Steadman at the World Championship on Wednesday, having played part of the first-round match in his socks.

O’Sullivan took off his shoes during play on Tuesday after complaining that they were uncomfortable, briefly playing in his socks before being loaned new footwear by tournament director Mike Ganley.

The five-time world champion could face a £250 (Dh1,383) fine for contravening the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association’s dress code, but he laughed off the matter after sinking Steadman.

“I’ve got no fashion sense at all,” O’Sullivan told the BBC. “I had the last ones for 10 years. I didn’t want to get rid of them and then I left them in a hotel and I lost them.

“I had this old battered pair, and I thought, ‘I’ve got to buy a new pair,’ and I just bought the wrong pair, basically. They were bashing my feet and I had to take them off. I couldn’t wear them.”

On borrowing Ganley’s shoes, O’Sullivan added: “He said, ‘You can’t play in your socks,’ but I didn’t want to play in my shoes either.

“I got a pair of Mike Ganley’s stinky old shoes, and you know what, they felt great.”

Breaks of 104, 61, 59, 54 and 75 helped O’Sullivan establish a 7-2 overnight lead at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre and despite struggling for rhythm in Wednesday’s morning session, the Essex cueman sewed up the win.

He will face either Matthew Stevens or Mark Williams in the second round.

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