Awkward moment Ronnie O'Sullivan almost misses Masters match as security doesn't recognise him

Ronnie O'Sullivan has shared the moment a security guard wasn't going to let him in when he was trying to get to a Masters match he was playing in.

O'Sullivan defeated Ding Junhui 6-3 in the first round of the Masters at London's Alexandra Palace yesterday (8 January), despite his opponent managing to make a 147 maximum break.

However, the world number one - who recently opened up about the time he was strip-searched by police after being accused of kidnapping - posted a video of an awkward encounter he had with a security guard while trying to get in who didn't seem to know who he was.

While you can't be too careful, if there's anyone you'd expect to be recognised heading into a snooker match, it's Ronnie O'Sullivan.

He was driving in when the security guard flagged him down to ask if his name was on the list of people allowed in.

Twitter/@ronnieo147

The dutiful sentry didn't seem to recognise that the world number one snooker player was right in front of him, but the 48-year-old soon convinced the guard he was supposed to be there.

He said: "It should be Ronnie O'Sullivan, I'm playing today at 1pm, do you want to let me in?"

Fortunately the security guard decided to let O'Sullivan in, and said he'd get the snooker player special permission if he wasn't on the list of those meant to come in.

"Quick, I'm gonna be late, they're gonna dock me, I'm gonna lose it, that's it. Then my missus is gonna hate me and the whole world's gonna end," he said jokingly.

Luckily for O'Sullivan, who said he was meant to be playing in just a few minutes, he was allowed to drive in and get to his match.

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Putting the moment on social media, O'Sullivan joked that the security guard 'must be a darts fan' and people have been loving the encounter.

One fan joked that the guard 'should have gone to Specsavers' and would 'never live that one down', while others brought up other times famous faces hadn't been let in by security.

The time Roger Federer forgot his entry card and wasn't allowed into Wimbledon was brought up by many.

In that case, Federer tried to play the 'I've won this tournament eight times' card, but it was when another security guard spotted a fan asking him for a selfie that he was finally recognised.

Plenty thought the moment was funny but also praised the security guard for 'doing his job' even if he didn't quite recognise O'Sullivan at first.

Fair play to him, you'd rather the security be too cautious than not enough.