Ronnie rules again to make Crucible history
ROnnie O’Sullivan shrugged off his record-equalling seventh World Championship after cementing his status as the greatest player the game has ever seen.
O’Sullivan pulled level with Stephen Hendry’s Crucible crowns after bossing last night’s final session to see off a gallant Judd Trump 18-13.
Trump — who later backed O’Sullivan to win further world titles — roared back from 12-5 down yesterday afternoon to head into last night’s final session just three frames adrift at 14-11.
But O’Sullivan was relentless, winning four of the evening’s six frames to claim the £500,000 winner’s cheque. After victory, O’Sullivan embraced Trump for over a minute and paid him a terrific tribute.
‘i’ve grown up with Judd, we’ve shared a lot of time on the practice tables so to hear the words he said to me afterwards, i didn’t realise what that meant to him. it was nice to hear i was part of his development. it was special, he choked me up,’ he said.
But he once again deflected claims about matching Hendry’s record. ‘Honestly, it has never been on my mind. i didn’t come here to equal Hendry’s record, i came here to play snooker and i found it very, very tough,’ he said.
Yet Trump, who knows his childhood idol better than most, backed O’Sullivan to add to his haul. ‘it wouldn’t surprise me if Ronnie goes out and beats the record now. it only ever looked like there was going to be one winner,’ he said.
The 46-year-old has dominated and transcended the sport for over two decades. This triumph adds to world titles won in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2020.
Finals do not always live up to their billing. After a high-quality opening session, which featured a ruckus with the Belgian referee, O’Sullivan’s Sunday night dominance threatened to turn this into a walkover. But an inspired afternoon session from Trump changed that. He roared back from 12-5 down and headed into the final session only three frames adrift at 14-11.
‘i tried my best to get back into it but i left it a little bit too late,’ said Trump. ‘i’m just proud of how i managed to get through a couple of tough battles not being at my best.’
After Trump’s resurgence, a conversation with Dr Steve Peters saw O’Sullivan return to his laser-focused best last night.
With the cue ball at his mercy, he won the opening two frames with breaks of 82 and 88. Hawkish and harrying, referee Olivier Marteel could not replace the balls fast enough for his brain and body.
Trump countered, snatching the next at one visit. But O’Sullivan rattled off a 75 break and skipped into the mid-session interval a frame from history.
Trump delayed the inevitable with a century in the 30th frame — a record 109th for the tournament — but O’Sullivan ensured immortality with a break of 85.
All of this was punctuated by the usual tics and twitches from O’Sullivan, who this year has added asking the referee to clean balls and adjusting his underpants to his repertoire.
Fastidiously sweeping the table, grimacing and chalking his cue, he is a compelling watch on and off the table.
Trump is altogether less animated, but the contrasting pair are the dominant players at the Crucible over the past four years. Trump has won 203 frames in that spell to O’Sullivan’s 172.
The sporting world will hope this final is not their last. With the chance for O’Sullivan to overtake Hendry, and Trump’s determination to add to his 2019 triumph — do not rule it out.