Ronnie O'Sullivan insists he would "never criticise any snooker fan" as he clarified comments made about the atmosphere at this week's Northern Ireland Open.
O'Sullivan said the Waterfront Hall atmosphere was "flat" earlier this week and said he felt "very bored" during his first-round win over Andy Hicks.
The six-time World Champion has moved to explain his comments, claiming he was unimpressed by the venue's set-up and not the crowd.
O'Sullivan told Eurosport: "It's never got anything to do with the crowd, the Belfast crowd.
"The set-up out there means you can't get a good atmosphere because there is no-one sitting down the side, so you feel like you're playing to an empty auditorium.
"When I said it was a flat atmosphere, it's because you feel like you're not playing to anyone, you can't see a crowd.
"The way it was put across, it looked like I was saying it was the fans, but it's not up to the fans - it's the auditorium, it wasn't set up right and that's no fault of the fans."
O'Sullivan, who has lost the past three NI Open finals to Judd Trump, beat Alfie Burden 4-1 to progress to the last-16 in Belfast.
The 45-year-old said fans are "like family to me" as he voiced his frustration at the layout of Belfast's Waterfront Hall.
He added: "They've got three tables so it's like you're playing to a scoreboard. When you have fans down the side, they gee you up and keep you going, and it does create a different atmosphere.
"I'd just like to put that straight because every snooker fan, they're like family to me so I wouldn't criticise any snooker fan.
"It was never a slight at the crowd, it was more that I think the set-up doesn't allow it to be a good atmosphere, so it's difficult playing under those circumstances - that's what I was trying to say."
