IT'S OFFICIAL
‘Best ref by miles’ – Ronnie O’Sullivan, Reanne Evans and Jimmy White in agreement on live TV about Tatiana Woollaston
O'Sullivan made a bold claim about who should officiate the World Snooker Championship final
TATIANA WOOLLASTON is the best referee in snooker, claims Ronnie O'Sullivan.
The no-nonsense official worked on Kyren Wilson's semi-final triumph over David Gilbert at the World Snooker Championship.
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Woollaston, 37, called walking out at The Crucible for the occasion a "pinch me moment".
But Eurosport's panellists, including O'Sullivan, believe the best is still yet to come from the Belarusian.
After Wilson booked his place in the final, presenter Radzi Chinyanganya asked pundits O'Sullivan, Reanne Evans and Jimmy White for a word on Woollaston.
Evans, 38, said: "She's a top ref, I really rate her.
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"She's a great girl as well. She put a story up saying 'dreams come true, semi-final'.
"I went 'no, dreams come true when you reach the final'.
"She deserves the final, she's top class and I hope she does get the final next year maybe."
O'Sullivan then chipped in: "Best ref in the world, mate. By a mile. All day long, for me."
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Jimmy White added: "She will do a final."
To which O'Sullivan insisted: "She should do this year's final."
Jak Jones ‘kills snooker’ by attempting ‘mission impossible’ leaving World Championship fans gasping at the Crucible
That honour will instead fall upon experienced official Paul Collier.
The Welshman, 53, became the youngest official to ever take charge of a World Snooker Championship final in 2004 when he refereed O'Sullivan's clash with Graeme Dott.
Ahead of this year's showpiece, Woollaston wrote on social media: "Wishing an amazing colleague of ours @welshref (Collier) the very best for tomorrow's final!
"If we are lucky, 35 more frames to learn from the best #ilovesnooker."
O'Sullivan, 48, told referee Desislava Bozhilova to "chill" earlier this week.
Ahead of a key shot on the green during his quarter-final defeat to Stuart Bingham, The Rocket paused as he was distracted by members of the crowd moving in and out of the arena.
At one point there was a steady flow of punters trying to take their seat, so O'Sullivan did the same and sat down next to his opponent.
After a lengthy delay referee Desislava Bozhilova assured O'Sullivan that the door was closed and no more fans would be allowed.
The world number one stood up and then told the ref to "chill", with Bozhilova responding: "I am chill."
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During the same encounter O'Sullivan drew praise for a piece of sportsmanship.
The Rocket decided to play a safety shot when a pot was on - as he felt the ball had not been put back on its spot correctly.
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