O’Sullivan eyes sixth world title... but wants to take month off first
RONNIE O’Sullivan admits he is already targeting a sixth World Championship title after continuing his superlative form to wrap up the Welsh Open in Cardiff on Sunday evening.
O’Sullivan has looked imperious all week at the Motorpoint Arena and despite finding himself trailing Neil Robertson 5-2 in the showpiece, he spectacularly reeled off seven frames in a row to triumph 9-5.
The 40-year-old made a 141 break – his highest of the match – in the final frame to seal a record-equalling fourth Welsh Open title, while also moving joint-second on the all-time list alongside John Higgins and Steve Davis with 28 ranking titles.
O’Sullivan, who has won five world titles in his career, is still unbeaten in 2016 after lifting the Masters trophy last month and is adamant that his form is improving at each tournament.
“I’m pleased, I’ve had a fantastic week and played so much better than I did at the Masters,” said O’Sullivan. “I struggled at the Masters but felt like I found some fluency this week.
“Even if I had lost today, I would have had a great week – the fans have been amazing and everyone has been great.
“It’s great equal to John Higgins with four Welsh Opens but it would feel better if I win it five times!
“I feel shattered and I need a month to recharge the batteries so I can give Sheffield a good push because that’s the one everyone wants to win.”
Aside from O’Sullivan, Robertson had been the form player this season – winning the UK Championship and Champion of Champions event.
The Cambridge-based Australian was clinical on Sunday afternoon to move 5-2 ahead with breaks of 78, 76 and 77 before the new world No 4 responded.
O’Sullivan failed to produce a century until his spectacular 141 in the last, which was his fifth break of 140 or more in the tournament.
Like his opponent, Robertson will be turning his attention to Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre as he seeks a second world title to add to his 2010 win.
But the world No 3 feels he threw away his early work against O’Sullivan and pinpointed a moment when he was 5-2 ahead as a game-changer.
“The first frame of the evening session was key when I split the pack and if I land nicely on a red then I go three frames clear,” he said.
“I think it would have been a different match after that. I missed a couple of awkward balls and once he got his tail up and got the momentum of the match, it was hard to wrestle it back.”