Snooker Ronnie aiming to extend record number of UK title wins
RONNIE O’Sullivan vowed to continue making snooker history after becoming the first player to win seven UK Championship titles with a 10-6 victory over Mark Allen in York.
O’Sullivan’s triumph saw him surpass the previous record he shared with Steve Davis, as well as edging past Stephen Hendry to win a 19th ‘triple crown’ title - comprising the World and UK Championship and the Masters.
O’Sullivan said: “It’s great to make history. To beat Davis’s record and to beat Stephen Hendry, who is my hero and the ultimate player, is just crazy.
“I never thought I would be chasing these kinds of records. I just want to get my head down and play, but I don’t want to stop there – I want to put in some distance and make it harder for the next guy to overtake me.”
O’Sullivan’s triumph, which came a quarter-of-a century after he first won the title as a 17-yearold, crowned a tumultuous week in which he threatened to launch a breakaway tour and needed a finalframe decider to nudge past Ken Doherty in round two.
There were no such fears on Sun- day as O’Sullivan reeled off six consecutive frames to turn an early 2-1 deficit to the reigning Masters champion into a 7-2 lead.
After years of threatening to walk away from the sport, O’Sullivan, who celebrated his 43rd birthday in the middle of the tournament, now appears thoroughly intent on committing himself to his sport for the long-term.
He added: “I was playing for the fans today. It’s payback time – they have supported me for so long and they go through it all with me, so I just need to play with a smile on my face. I am not setting myself any limits. I will play as many tournaments as I think I can play, whether they are big or small. It’s just about playing and trying to enjoy it, because it’s a fantastic sport.”
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It’s great to make history. To beat Davis’s record and to beat Stephen Hendry, who is my hero and the ultimate player, is just crazy