O’Sullivan gives post-match interviews in bizarre Australian accent
The world number three booked his place in the last eight in Preston.
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Ronnie O’Sullivan celebrated victory over Barry Hawkins in the Coral Players Championship in Preston by attempting to talk in a bizarre Australian accent in his post-match interviews.
World number three O’Sullivan withstood Hawkins’ fightback to seal a 6-4 first-round win at the Guild Hall and set up a last-eight clash against either Mark Selby or John Higgins.
“I dip in with a bit of Cockney, a bit of Australian and a bit of Scouse, you know what I mean mate? It’s all good. I should have been an impersonator,” O’Sullivan told BBC Lancashire Sport.
When asked if there was any particular reason why he was trying to talk like an Australian, the five-time world champion from Essex said: “No mate, I just feel totally positive.
“When you talk Aussie, the Aussies are just winners mate, you know? You’ve got to love a winner.
“Us English, we love a loser, so I thought I’m fed up of being a loser, I’m going to talk like a winner, like the Aussies. Get the Ashes won mate.”
Defending champion O’Sullivan began with an opening-frame break of 106 against Hawkins and led 3-0 and 5-2 before his opponent made a fight of it.
![Ronnie O’Sullivan fought his way into the last eight](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/e5c1546d77872844fa0c037114823d68Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNTUxODI4Mzk1/2.40734191.jpg?w=640)
Mark Allen, who won the 2016 title, will play David Gilbert or Stuart Bingham in the last eight on Thursday evening after overcoming Stephen Maguire 5-2.