TNT Sports
Welsh Open 2021 - 'I'm not a numpty' - Champion Jordan Brown on proving Ronnie O'Sullivan wrong
By
Published 24/02/2021 at 11:47 GMT
Brown says he’s changed his opinion of the six-time world champion, who he admits annoyed him when he said last year that he would have to “lose an arm and a leg to drop out of the world’s top 50”. The Northern Irishman was ranked 81st going into the Welsh Open, before he pulled off a shock win over the snooker great in the final.
Image credit: TNT Sports
Jordan Brown says Ronnie O’Sullivan often “lets himself down” with his comments, but admits he has changed his opinion of the snooker legend after he praised the Northern Irishman for the way he beat him in the Welsh Open final.
Brown was ranked 81 in the world before the event, and went all the way to pull off a shock victory, earning what he’s described as life-changing money as a result.
But he had been riled by remarks last year by the six-time world champion, who criticised the lower ranked players by saying he would have to “lose an arm and a leg to drop out of the world’s top 50”.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2021/02/21/3000027-61556268-2560-1440.jpg)
'I have had some dark days' - Brown on his journey to Welsh Open title
Video credit: TNT Sports
After his defeat at the weekend, though, O’Sullivan acknowledged the man who is known as the ‘Antrim Ferrari’, calling him a “proper player” who deserved his win.
“He’s the greatest of all time and his speech there at the end meant so much to me, coming from him," Brown told Metro.co.uk.
“It (his previous comments) did annoy me, but it just spurred me on because I just wasn’t having that.
“I’ve definitely proved him wrong, that I’m not a numpty. I’ve definitely proved a lot, not just to him, but to everyone on tour, people in general, that I can play this game and to a very high level. I’ve had so many messages from my fellow competitors and it means so much to me.
“But I’ve sort of changed my opinion of him today, you could tell that was genuine at the end, so thank you to him.”
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2021/02/21/3000025-61556228-2560-1440.jpg)
'A proper player' - O'Sullivan lauds Brown after losing final
Video credit: TNT Sports
Brown overturned odds of 750/1 to claim victory at the ranking tournament, securing prize money of £70,000 - an amount he could previously only dream of, having come close to walking away from the sport completely and working in a petrol station in his twenties.
“It makes you even more determined because I’ve hit rock bottom at times in the past”, he said.
“It’s going to set me up for a long time, I’m one of those people that will be responsible, investments and stuff like that. I’m absolutely not going wild, I’ll be very good at looking after it.”
Related Topics
Advertisement
Advertisement