Ronnie O’Sullivan berated himself and threatened to pull out of the UK Snooker Championship after his first-round victory over amateur Daniel Wells.

The five-time world champion arrived at the York Barbican in an ankle support, after sustaining an injury – revealed after the match to be a broken ankle – while out jogging earlier this week.

Wells – sensing a potential giant-killing – went into the interval level at 2-2 but O’Sullivan returned to finish off the contest with four straight frames.

However, he was far from satisfied with his afternoon’s work at the Barbican, revealing he had played through the pain barrier and not enjoyed his time at the table.

And with a second-round clash awaiting the 38-year-old on Sunday, he conceded stepping up to the baize just three days after his first outing may be too soon.

“I’ve taken all the painkillers and done all I can do but if it’s not better by Sunday then I probably won’t play,” he fumed.

“It wasn’t comfortable for me out there and, to be honest with you, I didn’t enjoy any of that. It was painful for me to play out there with this. There’s not really a lot to say about it.

“I just wanted to see what would happen. I’ve practised and I’m hobbling about during the match – I’m all over the gaffe, to be honest.

“I just thought I would give it a go but if it doesn’t improve then I’m not sure I’m going to play the next match. I can’t get on the shot properly, I’m hobbling around, it’s swelling up, it’s painful.”

But despite threats to pull out of the tournament, O’Sullivan insists that is the last thing he wants to do at this stage.

And given this is not the first time he has picked up an injury while out for a run, he threatened to give up the hobby altogether.

“I’m absolutely gutted,” he added. “I’m enjoying my snooker more than ever and to do that through running, “I’m just really angry with myself – I’m really f*****g angry. I don’t normally use that language but I’m so annoyed with myself.

“I think I’ll probably just stop running now until the end of my snooker career because you can’t do this – it’s the third time I’ve broken my foot.

“I’m just frustrated at myself because I’m a snooker player – I’m not a runner. I just shouldn’t do it really.”

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