UPDATED NEWS: Liam Graham has been suspended due to the……..

The player whose hopes of taking on the world number one were shattered at the Scottish Open in Edinburgh on Monday has accused Ronnie O’Sullivan of showing “disrespect.”

Just hours before he was supposed to take on 19-year-old Liam Graham in a first-round match, the seven-time world champion withdrew from the competition, citing medical reasons.

Graham told the Daily Record that O’Sullivan’s decision was made at an inappropriate time and that it was disrespectful.

A lot of people took time off work to come and watch today and it’s disappointing.

“It’s not surprising given the things he does. I found out when I got to the venue this morning. I didn’t have much prior warning – I think he pulled out very late.”

O’Sullivan, who won his record-extending eighth UK title in York earlier this month, has now withdrawn from five of eight ranking tournaments this season, not including the Snooker Shootout.

Last month, he pulled out from the Champion of Champions event in Bolton due to “mentally feeling a bit drained and stressed”.

It comes amid a time of tension between the player and World Snooker Tour chiefs over his desire to have the freedom to play in lucrative exhibitions in China.

In the wake of his final win over Ding Junhui in York, O’Sullivan insisted officials “seem to want me to hand my resignation in” – a claim flatly denied by WST.

Graham, who is in his first year as a professional, added: “At the end of the day I want to play the best players in the world and I was really looking forward to it.”