World Snooker Tour Extends BBC Broadcast Deal To 2027
Snooker’s biggest tournaments will continue to be broadcast by BBC for another five years following an extension to the current agreement with WST.
The World Championship, UK Championship and the Masters will receive comprehensive live BBC television coverage and online streaming until 2027, bringing the sport to many millions of fans across the UK.
The current agreement originally ran until the end of the 2023/24 season but has been extended by a further three years.
The World Championship, snooker’s biggest event, is currently underway at the famous Crucible in Sheffield and runs for 17 days each Spring. Last year’s final attracted a peak audience of 4 million. The UK Championship takes place in York in November while the Masters, with an elite 16-man field, is staged at Alexandra Palace, London in January. Collectively the three events are known as the Triple Crown Series.
WST Chairman Steve Dawson said: “Extending this partnership demonstrates what a successful relationship we have built with the BBC over a period of more than 50 years. Our relationship allows us to tap into the huge reach that only the BBC can deliver while providing world class sporting drama to BBC audiences. Snooker belongs on the BBC and it’s important for our sport to be seen by a massive audience throughout the UK. Millions of people enjoy snooker’s biggest events on the BBC and the quality of their production is outstanding. BBC’s coverage is an integral part of the rich history which surrounds our Triple Crown tournaments.”
Barbara Slater, Director of BBC Sport said: “It’s wonderful news for snooker fans across the UK that the Triple Crown events will remain free-to-air. We’re proud of our longstanding partnership with WST and delighted to see it continue to 2027.”
Cazoo, Europe’s leading online car retailer, which makes ordering a car as simple and seamless as buying any other product online today, is expanding its snooker partnership with the World Snooker Tour to become the main sponsor of the British Open for the first time.
The 2022 Cazoo British Open will run from September 26th to October 2nd at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes and will see prominent Cazoo branding on the main set, players’ waistcoats and interview and media conference backdrops and will have extensive live coverage on ITV and a range of broadcasters across the globe.
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This deal extends Cazoo’s portfolio of prestigious snooker sponsorships, which also includes the Cazoo Masters, Cazoo UK Championship, Cazoo Champion of Champions and the trio of Cazoo Series events.
Cazoo is now one of the biggest sports sponsors in the UK with a portfolio that includes football (Everton, Aston Villa & the EFL), cricket (The Hundred), rugby (Welsh Rugby Union & 2021 Rugby League World Cup), golf (European Tour), horse racing (Epsom Derby & St Leger) and darts (PDC). Cazoo will also sponsor Spanish LaLiga football teams Real Sociedad and Valencia FC and French Ligue 1 side Olympique de Marseille, from the start of next season.
Cazoo was founded in 2018 by renowned British entrepreneur Alex Chesterman and has already sold over 60,000 cars in the UK since its launch as consumers have embraced the selection, value, transparency and convenience of buying and selling used cars fully online. Cazoo has grown its team to over 4,250 across the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Portugal.
Snooker’s British Open was first staged in 1985 and remained on the calendar until 2004, then returned in 2021 after a 17-year gap. Mark Williams is the defending champion having beaten Gary Wilson 6-4 in the final in Leicester.
It’s the only tournament on the WST circuit to include a random ‘FA Cup style’ draw for each round. Last year, matches in the early rounds were the best of five frames, but this year that has been increased to best of seven for the early rounds, best of nine for the quarter-finals, best of 11 for the semis and best of 19 for the showpiece final on Sunday October 2nd.
Alex Chesterman OBE, Founder & CEO of Cazoo said: “We’re excited to extend our partnership with WST and Matchroom to include the 2022 Cazoo British Open. This deal will grow our audience as we continue to build Cazoo into a household brand and deliver the best car buying and selling experience across the UK and Europe.”
Steve Dawson, Chairman of WST said: “We are thrilled to join forces once again with Cazoo for the fantastic British Open which proved a great success when we brought it back on to the calendar last season. Cazoo have an outstanding set of snooker properties across the season, bringing massive global exposure for their brand. With extensive free to air coverage on ITV and the best players in the world competing for the title, the Cazoo British Open will once again reach a vast audience of snooker fans. We are excited to work with the Cazoo team on building this far-reaching partnership.”
It’s good to see another tournament getting out of the “bookies sphere”. It’s also great to se that the matches will be slightly longer next season. I hope this is only the start of a trend. The 2022 World Championship has amply demonstrated the value of longer matches when it comes to tension, drama and spectacle, and the fans have responded very positively.
To read more about Q School and the new Asian Q School, click here.
These are the infos previously published about the Asian Q-School aand linked above.
Q School
Snooker’s first ever Asia-Oceania Q School will take place later this year, giving new opportunities for the most talented players in those regions to graduate to the professional tour.
Asia-Oceania Q School 2022 will take place in Bangkok, starting on June 1st . Two tournaments will be staged, with the finalists from both to earn a two-year card to the World Snooker Tour. So in total four players will be awarded a place on the professional circuit for the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons.
The event will be open to anyone who is resident in Asia and Oceania, with an entry fee of £400.
Meanwhile, a separate Q School event will be staged at Ponds Forge in Sheffield, open to anyone in the world. There will be three tournaments, with the four semi-finalists in each to receive tour cards, so 12 players will graduate to the main circuit.
It will run from May 16th to June 5th (subject to the number of entries) with an entry fee of £1,000.
Closing date: Wednesday 13 April 2022, at 12 noon. Please enter via the tournament online entry system and by logging on using your unique username and password.
Players cannot enter both Q School events. Details of how to enter the Asia-Oceania Q School will follow soon.
WST Chairman Steve Dawson said: “This is a very significant moment in terms of providing opportunities for the best talent in key growth regions to qualify for the elite World Snooker Tour.
“Q School has been running since 2011 but for the first time now we are staging a Q School event in Asia. Snooker is not a UK sport, it is a completely inclusive sport which belongs to the world, and it is so important to provide development pathways for all young players.
“We are thrilled to be working with our partners in Thailand on Asia-Oceania Q School, especially as they have a long history of hosting successful tournaments. Snooker has huge popularity in this region, and while we already have many successful players from China, Thailand and Australia competing on the pro tour, there is undoubtedly a vast talent pool of cueists who will welcome this opportunity. I am sure that the standard of play at the Q School event in Bangkok will be incredibly high.
“Equally, we are delighted to stage Q School in the UK for the 12th consecutive year as it is the best and fairest route to qualification for the tour. Over the years we have seen many players come through that system and go on to reach the world’s top 16 and win tournaments.
“This a fantastic time for young player to turn professional as our sport looks towards an exciting future. Wherever you are in the world, it’s time to prepare for Q School 2022!”
Thai media covering the new announcement
Mr. Suntorn Jarumon, President of Billiard Sports Association of Thailand, said: “We are absolutely delighted that WST and WPBSA have given us the opportunity to be the host country for this first ever Asia-Oceania Q School Event. This will enhance the chance of young players in these regions to earn the spots for the main tour without having to travel all the way to UK and can also save a lot of expenses in doing so. I strongly encourage players who have always dreamed of becoming professional to take this golden opportunity to earn their tour card right here in Thailand for the next two seasons. We will be looking forward to seeing you soon.”
The 2021/22 WPBSA Q Tour Play-Offs will run from 10-11 May 2022 at the Q House Snooker Academy in Darlington, with the winner to earn a two-year card on the World Snooker Tour.
The event will see the 16 highest ranked players, excluding already qualified World Snooker Federation Champion Si Jiahui and Sean O’Sullivan, compete for the right to turn professional from the start of next season.
Matches will be played on eight Xing Pai tables at the fantastic Q House Snooker Academy, which will host a WPBSA sanctioned tournament for the first time.
Two rounds will be played during each day, with session times provisionally scheduled for 10:00am and 1:00pm. All matches up to and including the semi-finals will be the best of seven frames, with the final played over the best of nine.
The draw will be fully seeded, based upon the final Q Tour Rankings. For the avoidance of doubt, the final position has been won by Hamim Hussain on countback following his run to the quarter-finals of Event 4 earlier this month.
All qualified players have already been contacted via their registered email address and are required to confirm their participation in the play-offs by no later than 4:30pm on Friday 15th April.
It’s a fantastic interview and a very interesting insight into the mind of Ronnie.
Ronnie O’Sullivan and Dr Steve Peters: The partnership and techniques which reignited the Rocket’s career
By Chris Hammer
Dr Steve Peters has lifted the lid on his successful partnership with Ronnie O’Sullivan and revealed some of the techniques that have helped him reinvigorate his career over the past decade.
The enigmatic Rocket was close to walking away from snooker at the age of 35 in 2011 following a difficult spell dating back to his third world title in 2008, but after reluctantly meeting the renowned sports psychiatrist, his fortunes changed in emphatic fashion.
At that time he was still four short of Stephen Hendry’s seven Crucible titles while he had also won seven fewer Triple Crowns than the Scotsman’s tally of 18 and was also 14 ranking titles behind with 22.
However, the most important void in O’Sullivan’s snooker life was not the drought of major silverware but the absence of the fun factor.
As enjoyment began to return, back-to-back World Championships kick-started another awesome era, which reached another unforgettable high on Sunday night when he became the oldest Crucible champion at the age of 46 to finally drew level with Hendry’s most prized record.
The world number one’s 21 Triple Crowns and 39 ranking titles means he can now be statistically regarded as the greatest snooker player of all time – but would it have been possible without the influence of Peters?
After an emotional trophy ceremony that had followed O’Sullivan’s lengthy embrace with Judd Trump and tearful celebrations with his family, the Londoner said: “If it hadn’t have been for Steve Peters I would probably be in some hot country like Portugal living in a nice beach house and coming to the UK once every six weeks to see my family.
“I had the talent, I had the game… If I was on it was great, but if I was off I was looking for the exit doors, thinking ‘It’s time to go home’, because I didn’t enjoy digging it out.
“But I’ve learned that nobody can be perfect all the time, so just accept it, get on with it, make best with what you’ve got and you just don’t know what’s round the corner.
“It’s like a bit of optimism but it still needs to be drummed into me. I always seem to fear the worst – that’s my natural state, really, so I have to fight against a lot of the demons. But I’m here, I’m competing and yeah, it was good!”
Rocket’s old exit strategy
Peters, who had been watching the drama unfold from the auditorium having spent the duration of the tournament by his side, was given permission by O’Sullivan to speak openly to BBC 5Live about their partnership without worry of breaking patient confidentiality.
On their initial introduction back in 2011, Peters said: “Ronnie didn’t want me to him at first but within 15 minutes we formed a link and it’s got better and better.
“He did say he was coming to the end back then but I think it was more to do with the fact that he wasn’t happy, wasn’t performing well and had lost his direction in the sport.
“His strategy was then to leave and didn’t want to torture himself for another couple of years. But in discussion with him, all he wanted to do was be happy playing again and we’re still saying that 10 years on. Of course he wants to win but not at the cost of his happiness.
“Happy people succeed in life and that was his objective. I agreed with him, so we worked on that before any age concern.”
One of O’Sullivan’s main weaknesses at the start of their partnership was how he handled the pressure he put on himself.
Peters explained: “Obviously we all have different thought processes when we approach a difficult challenge and those processes can become a habit or a behaviour and we have various coping strategies.
“One of the things Ronnie was doing when I first met him was if things got really tough and he got emotional, his exit route was to run out of the building. He literally did that at one point in a competition. It wasn’t that he was losing – more to do with the pressure he’d put on himself.
“He will go with a perfectionist approach because he’s so driven and committed. But this means he’s quite unforgiving on himself. We’ve looked at that closely because it can be a negative and a positive.
“It’s all about how you learn about your own trigger points. His main coping mechanism was avoidance whereas now he’s learned different ways of coping if his mind starts to play up.
“If someone came to me with that same coping mechanism of running away, I’d say it’s completely healthy and natural, but it might not be helpful.
“You have to look at times when it works and when it doesn’t – then we’d talk about what strategy they’d like to work with under pressure. It can vary for different circumstances and scenarios.”
Keeping cool
One potentially alarming scenario during the final came during the third session when Trump threatened an almighty comeback by clawing his way back to 14-11 down from 12-5.
But Peters said: “Complacency isn’t something Ronnie actually struggles with. He’s always of a mindset – which we’ve worked on over the years – to stay in the moment and stay in the process of what he’s doing.
“It might be a problem for others, who perhaps lose their focus when they are leading and start thinking about the ‘what ifs’ of the situation – so it’s certainly something to warn against.
“For me I like to find people’s trigger points that are unique to the individual as it’s important for me to understand their mind.”
Ronnie’s raw emotion
O’Sullivan’s outpouring of emotions with his family and during his tearful embrace with Judd Trump came as a surprise to many onlookers who are used to seeing his laid-back attitude about results and also how he regularly talks down his achievements.
But Peters said: “It’s emotional skill to put things into perspective and then celebrate them at the right times. Obviously he’s delighted with the result and I’ve already talked to him about plans for next year.
“He’s an emotional, passionate man and people like that need to manage those feelings. I think emotions are a great thing, but you have to engage them appropriately.”
On the lengthy post-match hug with Trump, Peters added: “I get hugs too, he’s a very tactile man! Obviously, they were talking too and wanted it to remain a private conversation which is hard in a public situation like that.
“This is a unique sport. When I entered this world 10 years back I was welcomed in very openly and I found snooker players encouraged each other and there are lots of friendships. It really is a pleasant atmosphere and lots of encouragement.
“So it didn’t surprise me to see them hug and complement each other like they did.”
Ref row unjust
Controversy has never been too far away from O’Sullivan throughout his often tempestuous career and there was a flashpoint during this year’s final when referee Olivier Marteel accused him of making a gesture after a foul.
O’Sullivan replied: “‘Tell me, tell me, what did you see? You tell me what you saw. You saw nothing. Go look at the camera. You saw nothing. Don’t start.” And later told Eurosport that Marteel was ‘looking for trouble‘.
Analysing how they dealt with the incident, Peters said: “We did discuss the issue he had with the referee after the session but it was helpful that someone came into the dressing room to confirm cameras hadn’t picked up anything.
“That helped immensely – but if that hadn’t happened we’d have tried to put any feelings of injustice to one side.
“When I work with people in sport or outside, we talk about something unexpected and unwelcome happening, and I ask them what they would like to do. It’s inevitable that issues with referees or opponents will happen so we when we discuss it first, we have a programmed response. Reacting in the moment can sabotage your sport, your concentration and focus.”
Age is just a number
At 46, O’Sullivan is continually asked how many years he can go on and Peters explained there are different ways to handle the issue of age.
He said: “I’ve been privileged to work with many athletes and some of them won’t see age as a barrier – they just continue and look at performance. Others will look at the statistics and facts and say they are time limited in the event.
“Those in sports like gymnastics will tend to fade out earlier than others whereas cyclists can go on until around 40 at optimum performance.
“It all depends on whether they place their emotions and feelings on the statistics and information or whether they focus on their individual performance. They have to ask “what do I want to do and how am I going to achieve that”.
“Ronnie hasn’t been consistent with this – but that’s normal. How many times do we wake up one day feeling we can take on the world and then the next for no apparent reason we don’t think we can cope.
“You expect the mind to be fluid with how we handle life – it’s not going to be consistent. So what I try and help people to do is understand that when your mind isn’t doing what you want it to do, let’s look at how to get in the mindset that you want – and to stay there. But the mind will hijack us from time to time, so he will sometimes think ‘maybe I’m getting too old for this’.
“We address that by rewriting the statistics.”
The GOAT?
As for whether O’Sullivan is the greatest sports person of his generation, Peters said: “Clearly someone who has been at the top of the game for around 30 years is among the greatest sports people of all time. In the last 10 years he’s been in five World Championship finals and won four of them. That’s pretty spectacular for anyone but it’s also the longevity so I’m glad he didn’t stop at 35!
“When I started working with him in 2011 I did ask him at the time if he’d be happy with two more world titles and he said he’d never win two more.
“He won the next two years and I always remind him of that! We’re being a bit greedy now but we’ll continue to be and we’re up for next year again and the one after.“
I very well remember Ronnie during the 2010/11 season. He was deeply depressed. He was struggling in his private life, fighting for the right to see his children. He was also suffering severe insomnia.
Before the World Championship, he had withdrawn from 8 PTC events, getting himself in trouble. He had not won a match in a ranking event since the 2010 World Open in september. He had lost in the first round of the Masters as well. After losing in the first round of the 2011 China Open he was feeling so low that he had wanted to withdraw from the World Championship. World Snooker asked him to take a bit of time and, maybe, reconsider. He did. His then manager, Django Fung had persuaded him to see Steve Peters …
The rest is history … AND hard work.
He lost in the QF in the 2011 World Championship, to the eventual winner, John Higgins. Given how the season had gone, this was almost miraculous. He was much more positive as well.
Right! After all this very serious, intense stuff, time to relax …
The immediate aftermath of the World Championship always leaves us with a bit of an “empty” feeling after all the 17 days excitement and rollercoast of emotions…
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN: SNOOKER’S GREATEST SHOWMAN REVEALS HIS REAL SELF IN HISTORIC TRIUMPH AT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Ronnie O’Sullivan’s great friend and Eurosport colleague Jimmy White firmly believes he can go on to win as many as 10 world titles. Why not? His game is unlikely to dramatically decline overnight. He keeps himself fit and has the natural talent to underpin the hard work he puts in. Dave Hendon reflects on O’Sullivan’s historic triumph at the Crucible and all it means for him and the sport.
BY DAVE HENDON
Sometimes it’s the ones you most expect.
Ronnie O’Sullivan came to Sheffield this year newly installed as world no.1 and chasing history. He leaves the steel city confirmed as snooker’s greatest ever player with more success surely ahead of him.
His 18-13 defeat of Judd Trump in the World Championship final made for fascinating viewing, but it was the scenes afterwards which will live long in the memory, O’Sullivan in floods of tears as he held on to Trump before hugging two of his children.
This was the real Ronnie, a big-hearted, emotional man with snooker running through his veins experiencing the dawning realisation that he had tied Stephen Hendry’s modern-day record of seven world titles. It was a moment for the ages.
Later, with typical directness, he described the whole tournament as “torture”. But for O’Sullivan, the pain is the point.
In everything he does, he goes all in. Some players, maybe most, are content to earn as decent a living as they can from snooker without ever pushing themselves to breaking point. The same cannot be said about O’Sullivan, whose love/hate relationship with a sport he has bestrode like a colossus for three decades is well documented.
When O’Sullivan goes running, he’s not out for a jog. He takes his body to its limits. In snooker, it’s his mind that is tested to the full. In 2011, beginning to struggle, he went to see Dr Steve Peters, a psychiatrist who has made his name working with sportspeople.
Dr Peters gave him practical advice about controlling his emotions, which O’Sullivan has clung to in the decade since. It has helped him not only to prolong his career but keep thriving at the very highest level.
Some in the sport complain that too many tournaments become the ‘Ronnie O’Sullivan Show’, but this really was. He was followed everywhere by a documentary crew making a film about his bid for a seventh title, which may have acted as extra motivation to focus hard on every aspect of what is needed to win snooker’s biggest event, on the table and off.
Nobody really threatened him until the last day. Dave Gilbert led him 3-0 in their first-round contest but wilted after the match was levelled. Mark Allen and Stephen Maguire could not come back after falling well behind early on. John Higgins dug in without ever playing his best snooker.
The early part of the final was disappointing as a spectacle before Trump made a fight of it. We want the showpiece match to be close as it is often how the championship is defined. But this one will be remembered for O’Sullivan’s historic feat, 21 years in the making since his first Crucible triumph in 2001.
Before the last session of that year’s final, there was a procession of former champions. Jimmy White, who famously never won the title, was also brought out on the basis that he was the ‘people’s champion’. Observing this from his dressing room, O’Sullivan resolved never to be in that position.
He was 25 and his great contemporaries, Higgins and Mark Williams, had already won the game’s most prized title. There were questions as to whether O’Sullivan’s often traumatic personal life would impinge on his chances. Did he have the discipline to last 17 days in Sheffield?
It was Higgins he beat in the final to settle all doubts. More titles followed in 2004, 2008, 2012 and, despite only playing one match all season ahead of the championship, 2013.
His defeat to Mark Selby in 2014 was a setback it took years to recover from, but he finally did by beating his arch-rival in the semi-finals of the 2020 event, on the way to winning title no.6.
And now it is seven. When O’Sullivan first burst onto the scene, many predicted he would become the youngest ever world champion. That didn’t happen, but he is now the oldest.
There is a bittersweet moment at the end of each World Championship. After the ticker-tape trophy presentation has ended and the champion leaves the arena, the backstage crew move in to dismantle the table and set. It means it is all over for another year and we are left to reflect on the 17 days just gone.
The 2022 edition was a memorable one, not just because of its historic ending. The first round brimmed with quality matches, the best of which was Kyren Wilson’s 10-8 victory over Ding Junhui.
Round two was notable for an unexpected cameo appearance by a pigeon and the longest ever frame at the Crucible. The 85-minute affair between Yan Bingtao and Selby would have made grisly viewing anywhere else, but late on in their best of 25 frame encounter was compelling.
The standout night came on the second Monday when Neil Robertson made a 147 break but was defeated 13-12 by Jack Lisowski, who then starred in another thriller in the quarter-finals, losing 13-12 to Higgins.
The ‘Class of ’92’ all reached the semi-finals, where O’Sullivan won one of the championship’s most dramatic frames on a re-spotted black to lead Higgins 10-6 overnight rather than 9-7.
The other semi between Trump and Williams looked set to fizzle out when Trump led 7-1 but the Welshman roared back to take it the full distance, proving yet again that the pay-off for long matches is the excitement of a close finish after such emotional investment from the audience.
The final was eagerly awaited, but Trump did not really show up on day one. His A-game is frightening but he did not produce it anywhere regularly enough.
However, he grew stronger on Monday afternoon as O’Sullivan began to make mistakes. A huge fluke in the last frame of session three helped leave the match tantalisingly poised at just 14-11.
But when the evening came, it was like a new match again. O’Sullivan sprinted for the winning line like a man who sensed it was his destiny.
As the prize presentation unfolded, Hendry stood by our Eurosport commentary box watching on. His record of seven world titles was set in 1999. That year he beat O’Sullivan in the semi-finals at a time when Ronnie was a somewhat troubled young man.
Back then, it seemed impossible for anyone to threaten Hendry’s title tally, or indeed any of his records. With great persistence, O’Sullivan has come for them. He says they are just numbers but there will surely be a day when he looks back on it all with genuine pride.
His great friend and Eurosport colleague Jimmy White firmly believes O’Sullivan can go on to win as many as 10 world titles. Why not? His game is unlikely to dramatically decline overnight. He keeps himself fit and has the natural talent to underpin the hard work he puts in.
Yet Hendry was never quite the same after his seventh victory. The intensity went and the titles dried up. The mental demands of top-level snooker cannot be underestimated and how many more times O’Sullivan can stand at the bottom of the mountain gazing up at the climb ahead remains to be seen.
But all that can wait for another day. For now, the glory once more belongs to Ronnie O’Sullivan.
Fly-On-The-Wall Ronnie O’Sullivan Documentary Gets Its Fairytale Ending
A year in the life of Ronnie O’Sullivan got the fairytale ending – but it won’t be the last dance for the Rocket.
The 46-year-old is being hailed as the greatest player in history after equalling Stephen Hendry’s record of seven world titles with an 18-13 win over Judd Trump at the Betfred World Championship.
World No1 O’Sullivan, the oldest Crucible champion, is not done yet – suggesting Hendy may only get to share the record for a year, and that he could play into his 50s and go for 10.
But the fly-on-the-wall film documentary crew that have been following him around this season were able to capture momentous moments in the iconic Sheffield arena.
Having spent years insisting records meant nothing to him, the images of an overwhelmed O’Sullivan sobbing in the arms of beaten opponent Trump and celebrating with his children told a different story.
And O’Sullivan was quick to see parallels with the film about basketball legend Michael Jordan’s last 1997-98 season with the Chicago Bulls that saw the NBA superstar win a sixth championship.
O’Sullivan said: “I loved that documentary The Last Dance about Jordan’s final season at the Bulls.
“And this is a bit of a dream ending to mine, the guys have been following me six or seven months. You couldn’t have envisaged this – they have had a result.
“I loved Michael’s energy, professionalism and his confidence. He knew how to get the best out of people. He let Dennis Rodman go to Las Vegas for a few days because he needed it.
“Then he didn’t come back so he had to get on a plane and go and get him. It was a great insight, there were so many different characters.
“It’s harder in an individual sport, definitely. I said to Steve Peters that I wished I was in a team sport. At least then you can take a week off or be rested for a bit.
“You can have that relationship with your manager where you can kind of pick and choose when to play. In an individual sport you’re kind of forced to play even if you feel you don’t want to.
“So it’s tougher, but I chose this sport and there’s not a lot I can do about it now.
“I’m good with pressure so having the crew around wasn’t an issue. In some ways, it might have inspired me. And things just seem to work out – so I’m not surprised that it ended like that.
“And it wasn’t all Sheffield, hopefully a load of it gets in there.
“In Llandudno they asked me what I normally do and I said ‘I go out running at eight in the morning, if it’s p**sing down with rain I’m still going out’.
“They got in the car and followed me, and got me running up the Orme – and it was p**sing down. Whatever I have done, they have followed me. Everything has been as it is.”
O’Sullivan again recognised the huge part sports psychiatrist Steve Peters has played in his career. Four of his world titles have come since Peters stopped him quitting in 2011.
And despite the torrents of praise and acclaim coming his way, the Rocket claims he is not and never will be ‘the greatest’.
He added: “If it hadn’t have been for Steve Peters I would probably be in some hot country like Portugal living in a nice beach house and coming to the UK once every six weeks to see my family.
“The size of winning the seventh title and the enormity of it is so important to everybody- and I can feel that.
“But I don’t consider myself the greatest ever at all. There are a lot of players out there that I wish I had elements of their game in my game. I try to develop my game on what they do better than me.
“I just enjoy playing, enjoy competing. Does it really matter who’s the greatest? To me it doesn’t.
“We all make this sport fantastic. You guys in the media, the players, the officials. It’s just great to be at the high end of your sport.
“I won’t consider myself the greatest even if I win eight, not at all. There are a lot of players out there that I wish I had elements of their game in my game. I try to develop my game on what they do better than me.
“I just enjoy playing, enjoy competing. Does it really matter who’s the greatest? To me it doesn’t.
We all make this sport fantastic. You guys, the players, the officials. It’s just great to be at the high end of your sport.
“I won’t consider myself the greatest even if I win eight, not at all. I don’t want to be considered the greatest. I want to be known as someone who loves snooker and loves playing.
“I have a love/hate relationship with the game because I hate it when I’m not performing well.
“When I’m playing all right I get a great buzz out of it and enjoy it. I’m able to cope with not playing well better than I used to.”
The video, shared by Betfred, shows Rob Walker, John Virgo and Shaun Murphy reflect on the championship, the class on 92, funny and awkward moments, interviews with the champion, the Crucible staff, Barry Hearn and more … It’s really good stuff!
It’s the last year of the Betfred sponsorship. You know my views on gambling and my worries about how much snooker still relies on the betting industry for sponsoring, but I must say the Betfred hospitality was always fantastic through the years at the Crucible.
Judd Trump battled back into contention in the Betfred World Championship final and now only trails Ronnie O’Sullivan 14-11 heading into this evening’s last session.
Trump looked to be all at sea in a disastrous second session yesterday evening, when 38-time ranking event winner O’Sullivan took seven of the nine frames to lead 12-5 overnight. He summoned his best snooker this afternoon to remain in the hunt.
O’Sullivan still only requires four more frames to tie Stephen Hendry’s tally of seven world titles. However, 2019 World Champion Trump’s resurgence this afternoon keeps his hopes alive of completing what would be the biggest final day comeback in Crucible history.
Trump came roaring out of the blocks and breaks of 107 and 59 helped him to take first three frames and reduce his arrears to 12-8. The Ace in the Pack had then looked set to make it four on the bounce, but missed a risky plant on 45. O’Sullivan stepped up with a superb clearance of 64 to stop the rot and make it 13-8.
Bristolian Trump continued to battle his way back into the tie and he claimed the next two frames to make it 13-10. O’Sullivan won the 24th with a break of 55, but a century run of 105 ensured Trump took the last and ended just three behind at 14-11.
Quite remarkably this proved to be the only session Ronnie lost in this year World Championship, in the evening, Ronnie went on to win the final session (4-2) and his seventh World title (18-13). Here is the report by WST:
O’Sullivan Beats Trump For Magnificent Seventh
Ronnie O’Sullivan underlined his status as snooker’s greatest ever player by beating Judd Trump 18-13 in the Betfred World Championship final to conquer the Crucible for the seventh time.
Trump fought back boldly from 12-5 down overnight to trail by just three at 14-11, but O’Sullivan pulled away again in the concluding session to win comfortably on a historic night for one of Britain’s finest ever sportsmen. After three decades at the top, his ability to rise to the occasion and showcase his extraordinary skill is undiminished. Overwhelmed, O’Sullivan broke down in tears as he embraced Trump at the end of the match.
By equalling the record of seven titles in Sheffield, set by Stephen Hendry in 1999, O’Sullivan puts to rest any debate on the sport’s all-time number one. The Rocket has now either beaten or matched virtually all of Hendry’s most significant records.
Ronnie O’Sullivan World Championship Finals 2001 beat John Higgins 18-14 2004 beat Graeme Dott 18-8 2008 beat Ali Carter 18-8 2012 beat Ali Carter 18-11 2013 beat Barry Hawkins 18-12 2014 lost to Mark Selby 18-14 2020 beat Kyren Wilson 18-8 2022 beat Judd Trump 18-13
This is his 39th ranking title and 21st Triple Crown success, having also won the Masters and UK Championship on seven occasions. The £500,000 top prize is enough to keep him at the top of the world rankings and equals his biggest pay day. His career earnings from the Crucible alone are now just short of £3.5 million.
At the age of 46, O’Sullivan becomes the oldest ever World Champion, eclipsing Ray Reardon who was 45 in 1978. His break-building throughout this event has been as good as ever – a tally of 15 centuries is a new personal best at the Crucible.
John Higgins, his semi-final opponent, described O’Sullivan as “lethal” and “like a different animal.” Physically fit and – when he is fully committed – as tough as any other player mentally, he is capable of remaining at the top level for many years to come and adding more titles to his legacy.
O’Sullivan celebrates with daughter Lilly and son Ronnie
Trump, the 2019 champion, misses out on the chance to become the seventh player to lift the trophy more than once at the Crucible, after Steve Davis, Hendry, Higgins, O’Sullivan, Mark Williams and Mark Selby. The 32-year-old from Bristol fell away in the second session of the final on Sunday evening, when a 5-4 deficit became 12-5 overnight, and had too much ground to recover today. The 23-time ranking event winner earns £200,000 as runner-up and finishes the season as world number two.
Trailing 14-11 going into the final session, Trump needed flawless snooker tonight, but errors in each of the first two frames saw his fight-back fizzle out. He ran out of position on a break of 12 in the first, and missed a tricky black on the same score in the second. O’Sullivan’s breaks of 82 and 88 moved him 16-11 clear.
Trump pulled one back with a run of 64, but an attempted red to a centre pocket early in frame 29 hit the far jaw, and O’Sullivan’s 75 put him five up with six to play at the interval. In frame 30, Trump made a superb 109, which was the 109th century of the tournament, a new record.
Early in the 31st, O’Sullivan rolled a red along the top cushion into the corner pocket, and went on to make 85 to wrap up a high quality final. Over the match, O’Sullivan made three centuries and 13 more breaks over 50.
“That’s probably the best result I’ve ever had,” said O’Sullivan. “It was a titanic battle against a strong competitor who is young and hungry. I had to fight for every point. Even at 12-5 I knew it wasn’t over. As far as I’m concerned, Judd is already an all time great. The way he plays the game, he plays such dynamic snooker. He’s going to be winning this a few times and the other guys better get their act together.
“I gave him a big hug at the end and was sobbing in his arms. He said some lovely words. What he said to me blew me away. He’s a great lad and I didn’t realise what he thought of me until then. He’s great for snooker. I have been emotional for the last few years, I suppose that happens when you get older.
“I’m 46 and playing against guys in their early 20s. They are forcing me to stay fit and healthy and to keep a sensible schedule.
“It was a marvellous moment tonight and great to share it with my family.”
Trump said: “I tried my best to get back into it, but I left it too late. I gave it my all, I was still in it coming into tonight, but I knew it was going to be tough. I had my chances – my long potting was pretty good, I just was not as fluent as I usually am in among the balls.
“It’s an amazing achievement for him and for snooker, it was only really a matter of time before he got to seven. He has dedicated himself to it for the last 30 years, I will not be surprised if he goes out and beats the record now.
“I am proud because I dug in and gave myself a shot at it. It looked like it was going to be a disappointing tournament at the start, I managed to turn it into a positive one. I made a fight of it against the best player of all time and 18-13 is not a bad scoreline.”
And this is the frame by frame account mentioned above
The Final: Frame By Frame
Follow frame by frame updates as Ronnie O’Sullivan takes on Judd Trump in the Betfred World Championship final…
Frame 31 Ronnie O’Sullivan is the 2022 Betfred World Champion! O’Sullivan conquers the Crucible for the seventh time, equalling the record set by Stephen Hendry 23 years ago. He seals the title in style with a break of 85. No question now, he’s the greatest of all time.
Trump 13-18 O’Sullivan
Frame 30
Delight for the Crucible fans as Trump keeps the match alive. A superb break of 109 is the 109th century of the tournament – that’s a new record.
Trump 13-17 O’Sullivan
Frame 29 Trailing 16-1, Trump attempts a tough red to a centre pocket, but it hits the far jaw. O’Sullivan, rising to the occasion as he so often does, is clinical tonight and his rapid 75 puts him five ahead with six to play. Trump has a mountain to climb when they return at 8.25pm.
Trump 12-17 O’Sullivan
Frame 28
O’Sullivan leads 27-0 when he misses a short range red to a top corner. After a safety exchange, Trump fires a do-or-die red into a baulk corner and goes on to make 64 to win his first frame of the evening. One more before the interval.
Trump 12-16 O’Sullivan
Frame 27
Trump’s fight-back is in danger of fizzling out. The left-hander misses a tricky black, with awkward cueing, on 12 and again O’Sullivan takes advantage. A break of 88 moves him to within two frames of his seventh world title.
Trump 11-16 O’Sullivan
Frame 26
Trump has first chance but can make only 12 before failing to split the pack. O’Sullivan thumps in a long red to initiate a break of 82. Fine start to the concluding session for the Rocket and he’s four up with a possible nine to play.
Trump 11-15 O’Sullivan
Frame 25 How significant will this prove? Trump, leading 21-0, goes for a long red and misses his target by a few inches, but the cue ball flies into other reds and one drops into a centre pocket, leaving him with perfect position on the pink. A hand of apology goes up then Trump takes advantage with a break of 105. That’s his tenth century of the tournament and the record equalling 108th of the Championship. The gap is down to three and it’s all to play for going into the last session! Back at 7pm.
Trump 11-14 O’Sullivan
Frame 24 Trump crashes in a long red but then overcuts a difficult black. O’Sullivan’s run of 55 is enough to stop his opponent’s momentum. One more frame in this session…
Trump 10-14 O’Sullivan
Frame 23 Both players pass up the chance to win the frame in one visit, and it comes down to a safety battle with three reds left. O’Sullivan manufactures an opening but then, leading 51-27, misses the penultimate red to a top corner. Trump keeps cool, clears up and the gap is down to three. The Bristol cueman has won five of the six frames today.
Trump 10-13 O’Sullivan
Frame 22 Leading 20-1, O’Sullivan misses a cut-back red to a top corner, and Trump responds with 42 then lays a snooker with four reds left. A tactical exchange goes Trump’s way and he adds the points needed to reduce the deficit to four. Three more frames this afternoon.
Trump 9-13 O’Sullivan
Frame 21 Massive moment. Trump looks set to pull another one back until he fails to get a good pack split on 45. He goes for a risky plant to a centre pocket but the red hits the far jaw. O’Sullivan pulls off a tremendous 64 clearance which includes an excellent pot on the last red. Still, Trump has won the mini-session 3-1 to raise his hopes.
Trump 8-13 O’Sullivan
Frame 20 This is really impressive stuff from Trump, he looks to have renewed confidence after struggling with his game last night. An initial chance ends when he breaks down leading 31-0, but lays a tough snooker and from the chance that follows he adds 46 to claw another one back.
Trump 8-12 O’Sullivan
Frame 19 Early signs of a fight back. O’Sullivan leads 21-8 when he misses a red to a top corner, and Trump takes advantage with a break of 59 to pull another one back. They will play eight frames in this session – Trump now needs just one more to make sure he takes the contest into a fourth session tonight.
Trump 7-12 O’Sullivan
Frame 18 Perfect start for Trump. He knocks in a mid-range red, followed by a difficult thin cut on the black along the top cushion. That sets him up for a break of 107 to close the gap to six frames.
Trump 6-12 O’Sullivan
Frame 17
On a break of 33, Trump runs out of position and goes for a risky long brown, but it rattles in the jaws. Inevitably, he is punished as O’Sullivan makes 88, his tenth break over 50 so far in the final. O’Sullivan’s seven-frame lead is the biggest he has held overnight in a world final. He needs six more frames to take the title, while Trump must win 13 of a possible 18 on Monday. They return at 1pm for eight more.
Trump 5-12 O’Sullivan
Frame 16
Trump could do with the slices of luck falling in his favour, but when he pots a long red, the cue ball flicks off another red and goes in-off. That hands O’Sullivan the chance to make 60 and restore his six frame cushion.
Trump 5-11 O’Sullivan
Frame 15
Better from Trump! O’Sullivan fails to find his target with a mid-range red and Trump reminds us of his break-building class with a run of 80. The start of a fight back? Two more to come tonight.
Trump 5-10 O’Sullivan
Frame 14
The trend continues as Trump misses the pink to a centre pocket, leading 26-1. He hangs his head in his hands, perhaps feeling that the session is slipping away from him. O’Sullivan is making few mistakes and his 87 puts him six frames in front.
Trump 4-10 O’Sullivan
Frame 13
Four in a row for O’Sullivan. Trailing 35-0, Trump misses an attempted long red by several inches, and his opponent adds 42 to seal the frame. This is looking like a significant overnight lead for O’Sullivan – though bear in mind he was 10-5 up on Mark Selby at a similar stage in 2014 and ended up losing 18-14. Long way to go…
Trump 4-9 O’Sullivan
Frame 12
Leading 15-10, Trump misses a straight-forward black to a top corner. A few minutes later, once O’Sullivan has made a rapid 97, Trump is four frames behind. They head for the dressing rooms, set to return at 8.55pm. Five more frames to come tonight – how many more can O’Sullivan take?
Trump 4-8 O’Sullivan
Frame 11
Another early chance for Trump goes begging as he misses a difficult black along the top cushion on 9. And again his opponent takes advantage as O’Sullivan makes a fabulous 118. That’s his 15th century of the tournament, just one short of the record. Can he pull away or will Trump battle back again?
Trump 4-7 O’Sullivan
Frame 10
Trump has an early chance to level the match, but makes just 6 before missing the yellow to a baulk corner. He then makes a hash of a safety shot, gifting O’Sullivan an opening. A run of 66 gives him control, and he later adds 50 to double his lead.
Trump 4-6 O’Sullivan
Frame 9
O’Sullivan has first chance and makes 32 before missing a tricky red to a centre pocket. Trump counters with 73 and that proves enough to give him three frames in a row.
Trump 4-5 O’Sullivan
Frame 8
Drama at the end of the session as O’Sullivan, trailing 52-42, has a chance to clear from the last red, but snookers himself on the yellow. He fails to escape, and Trump converts a pressure pot on a mid-range yellow and clears to reduce the gap to two frames. Fascinating match so far! They resume at 7pm for nine more frames.
Trump 3-5 O’Sullivan
Frame 7
…and he gets one. Trump pots a long red and gets a slice of fortune as the cue ball kisses three other reds and finishes perfectly on the black. He goes on to make 98 to pull one back. If he can escape the session just 5-3 down he’ll be relieved. Important last frame coming up.
Trump 2-5 O’Sullivan
Frame 6
Five in a row for O’Sullivan. A long red initiates a break of 105, his 14th century of the tournament. That’s his personal best tons tally at the Crucible. Trump needs to gain a foothold…
Trump 1-5 O’Sullivan
Frame 5
After a promising start, Trump has lost his rhythm. He has a scoring chance but makes only 13 before missing a difficult red to a centre pocket. O’Sullivan, clinical among the balls throughout the tournament, takes advantage with a run of 40 to extend his lead.
Trump 1-4 O’Sullivan
Frame 4 An early tactical exchange is interrupted by a long debate between O’Sullivan and referee Olivier Marteel about the position of the cue ball after a foul and a miss. When the snooker resumes, O’Sullivan misses the green to a baulk corner on 25, and Trump responds with 52 before wobbling the last red in the jaws of a top corner. O’Sullivan gets the snooker he needs on the green, and later clears with 25 to force a respotted black. The Rocket’s first shot on the respot is a cocked-hat double which flies into a centre pocket. Trump may spend the interval stewing on the chances he missed to clinch that frame.
Trump 1-3 O’Sullivan
Frame 3
A cracking long red from O’Sullivan sets up a break of 68, before he misses a red to a baulk corner. He’s soon back in and adds enough points to take the lead.
Trump 1-2 O’Sullivan
Frame 2 Trump’s attempted long red misses its target, and O’Sullivan’s first chance yields a break of 120. That’s his 13th century of the tournament – three more would equal the record held by Stephen Hendry and Mark Williams. Tremendous standard so far!
Trump 1-1 O’Sullivan
Frame 1
First blood to Trump. He makes a break of 20 from an early chance then runs out of position. After a safety exchange, he spots a plant among the pack, and smashes it in, splitting the reds perfectly. That sets up a run of 72. O’Sullivan is yet to score a point.
Trump 1-0 O’Sullivan
Here is the last frame of the match
And the trophy ceremony
Those were shared by Eurosport on their Youtube channel
Ronnie’s seventh world tittle triggered a tsunami of reactions on social media and in the press.
Here are two pieces by Hector Nunns for the Sportsman:
Tributes Pour In As Ronnie O’Sullivan Claims Record-Equalling Seventh World Title
Snooker legends queued up to hail Ronnie O’Sullivan on Monday night – including Stephen Hendry through slightly gritted teeth.
The Rocket equalled the Scot’s most cherished record of seven Betfred World Championship titles with an 18-13 win over Judd Trump.
With all the 46-year-old’s many other records achievements over an incredible 30-year span O’Sullivan is now seen as the greatest player of all time.
Hendry, 53, saw his record matched and it could easily yet be beaten. And he reckons we may never see O’Sullivan’s like again.
Hendry said: “It is an honour to share that record with Ronnie. He has taken snooker to new heights and I’m actually surprised it’s taken so long to win seven.
“I am sure he won’t be happy until he’s got eight. He’s a winning machine. He says he’s not bothered about records, but he will want eight.
“It’s been an astounding performance the way he’s dominated this tournament.
“I’m not saying I am liking it being equalled – but I am fine! The whole tournament the way Ronnie has played – totally focused – I had come to terms with the fact it would happen.
“What we have learned about Ronnie is that he is a better player – a much better player – than 20 years ago.
“There has been no one like him, and we will probably never see anyone again who has got that cue ball control. He has taken the game to a new level.
“You only have to look at the centuries he has got, well over 1,100 in his career. It is incredible and as a snooker player it is beautiful to watch, and you appreciate just how good he is.
“To be able to play to this standard, to still be better than the so-called up-and coming players that everyone talks about and still dominate the game at his age is just phenomenal.”
Six-time world champion Steve Davis, 64, said: “Winning his seven world titles over a span of 21 years…he is playing in a field of players far stronger than the one I did in the 1980s.
“So it may have been inevitable it would take longer for Ronnie. But the longevity he has shown is incredible, remarkable. I couldn’t do that, and neither could Stephen Hendry.”
Three-time world champion Mark Williams, along with O’Sullivan part of the famous ‘Class of 1992’, is glad everyone else now shares the opinion he has held for years.
He said: “O’Sullivan is the best player in the world by a country mile. He’s so far in front of everyone – Trump, Selby, myself, Higgins – there’s no comparison, he’s the number one.
“He’s the greatest ever, and he didn’t even have to win seven world championships to be called the greatest.
“I’ve played him all my life and what he’s doing now, with the era of the players he’s in, he’s still going on at 46 and it’s not even a contest.
“There used to be a good argument between Hendry and O’Sullivan, but I don’t think there’s any argument now.”
O’Sullivan Warns He’s Already Planning Bid For Record-Breaking Eighth Title
Ronnie O’Sullivan equalled Stephen Hendry’s record of a magnificent seven world titles at the Crucible on Monday night.
And a tearful and emotional Rocket has already warned the Scot that he plans to beat it and set a new mark of eight next year.
O’Sullivan beat Judd Trump 18-13 in the final of the Betfred World Championship in Sheffield and after a bear-hug with his rival celebrated with son Ronnie jr, daughter Lily and his dad in the arena.
He said: “It means everything to me. My dad was in a cell on his wing when I won this my first time. So to have my dad here is special.
“It’s hard to resist coming here and playing because you don’t know how many times you can play here. It’s amazing. I’m a relieved person at the moment, It’s like I’m floating.
“You let the snooker gods decide what happens – and in these 17 days they were on my side. That is the greatest result I have ever had.
“Me and Stephen can share the record for a year! I have loved every tournament this season but I have had to detach myself emotionally at this event – it brings out the worst in me!
“We have the three Ronnies here tonight with my dad and my lad, and little Lily. Little Ronnie was only four when he first came here, now look at him – bigger feet than me and a good-looking boy.”
It is the fourth world title O’Sullivan has won since renowned sports psychiatrist Steve Peters transformed his career in 2011 when he was ready to quit.
O’Sullivan added: “Steve Peters has transformed my career because he taught me that no one is perfect all the time. He helped me compete.
“I had the talent but didn’t enjoy digging it out. The optimism has to be drummed into me because I fear the worst
“But Judd will be back here and win it a few times more and the other guys better get their act together.”
Trump said: “I just want to say massive congratulations to Ronnie and I think he will win at least once more – and could go on to get nine or 10.
“He has been a pleasure to share the table with, and he has been so good to me over the years, letting me practice with him when I was young, and learning things off him.
“It is an amazing achievement and he is the best player of all time. He keeps getting better and better and has such dedication and determination.
“I was just happy to make a match out of it. I was a bit drained from my semi-final on Sunday, it came back today but it was too late.
“I also think I made a mistake saying this tournament should move from here – but should stay.”
O’Sullivan is already the 4-1 favourite with the sponsors to win it again next year – and set a new record of eight world titles.
He became the oldest Crucible champion on a glory night in the Steel City. And having achieved that feat the Rocket can definitively be hailed as ‘the greatest’.
Already holding the records for most ranking titles, most majors, most century breaks and most maximum 147s, Hendry’s extra success in Sheffield was the itch the world No1 needed to scratch.
And in doing that O’Sullivan edged ahead of his former mentor and great friend Ray Reardon by winning the title at the age of 46 years and 158 days.
Reardon had been 45 years and 203 days when he lifted the trophy 44 years ago in 1978.
But the statistics do not begin to tell the story of the spell O’Sullivan has cast over snooker since he turned pro fully 30 years alongside John Higgins and Mark Williams.
He is that rare thing, both winner and entertainer – playing with a rare flair and panache that lends him a special aura and place in the sporting pantheon.
And he lit up the iconic arena yet again in more ways than one yesterday – at one point getting a lighter out and burning an offending fibre on the tip of his cue.
If his greatest world title feat came in 2013 when he stormed to the title after taking an entire year away from the game, this carried far more significance as well as a £500,000 cheque.
And there is now perfect symmetry in O’Sullivan’s haul of ‘majors’ – seven world titles, seven UK Championship wins, and seven Masters crowns.
He also delivered a fairy-tale ending for his documentary film crew – and the auction for all those hundreds of hours of footage could now be intense.
The Rocket has been tracked around all season to a team with unlimited access both in the arena, backstage and at home.
And in their wildest dreams those behind the project cannot have imagined this famous night that saw the world No1 bring the house down.
Until a Trump rally in the non-political sense yesterday, O’Sullivan had hardly been tested in wins over Dave Gilbert, Mark Allen, Stephen Maguire and John Higgins.
The first day of this final had been the O’Sullivan show in every sense. Heated exchanges between the Rocket and referee Olivier Marteel appeared to have disturbed Trump’s focus.
The Juddernaut got dragged into the circus on Sunday afternoon and may with hindsight think that another time he would be better off staying well out of it.
But yesterday we saw the real Trump, the one that has been overall the best player on tour over the past four seasons.
Having been a pale shadow of himself for the first two sessions, realistically Trump from 12-5 down had to win the third session yesterday afternoon 6-2 to have any chance.
And as the realisation of what he could achieve seemed to start weighing on the world No1 for the first time in the tournament, Trump did just that to close to 14-11 ahead of the evening finale.
Two century breaks and another effort of 59 kept the match alive and delivered a message to his rival that this was not going to be a mere procession to the coronation.
He continued to battle and knocked in the 109th century of the tournament this year – a new record. But Trump had just left it too late, and the king was crowned.
And there’s many more…
And now for the best bit … images shared around on social media – mainly twitter and Facebook – yesterday night and this morning
The End
Actually … not really the end. The Seniors World Championship starts tomorrow … at the Crucible!
Ronnie has won the 2022 World Championship, beating Judd Trump by 18-13 in the final. He equals Stephen Hendry’s record 7 World Championship titles. At 46 years of age, a professional for 30 years, he’s World Champion again – the oldest one so far – and World Number One!
Take a bow, Ronnie O’Sullivan!
More to come tomorrow… right now I just want to savour the moment.
Ronnie finds himself 12-5 ahead after the first day of the 2022 World Championship, but it was far from plain sailing … those are the scores and stats so far:
Ronnie O’Sullivan leads after the first session of the Betfred World Championship final, but Judd Trump took the last two frames to end the afternoon just two behind at 5-3.
O’Sullivan is chasing a historic record equalling seventh Crucible crown, which would tie Stephen Hendry’s tally. The 46-year-old would become the oldest ever World Champion if he were to win the event, eclipsing Ray Reardon who was 45 when he claimed his sixth world title in 1978.
Trump is bidding for his second World Championship win. The Ace in the Pack tasted Crucible glory back in 2019, when he scored a stunning 18-9 win over John Higgins in the final. Bristol’s Trump edges the head-to-head standings with O’Sullivan, leading 13-12.
They entered a packed Crucible arena to a standing ovation ahead of play and both hit the ground running with a standard befitting of the occasion.
It was Trump who took the first with a break of 72. O’Sullivan swiftly responded and contributions of 120 and 68 saw him take to the front at 2-1.
Trump had looked set to restore parity when he left O’Sullivan needing a snooker in the fourth, but missed a red which he attempted to play right handed on 52. O’Sullivan then got the snooker he needed and eventually forced a respot. Trump put the black to the side cushion, before 38-time ranking event winner O’Sullivan nailed a cocked hat double to steal the frame and lead 3-1.
O’Sullivan then moved three in front by taking the next and a break of 105 saw him make it five frames on the bounce. Trump hit back with a run of 97 to reduce his arrears to 5-2. O’Sullivan had a chance to take the last but snookered himself on the final yellow. Trump got in with a mid-range yellow and cleared the colours to end two behind at 5-3.
Ronnie O’Sullivan requires just six more frames for a historic seventh Betfred World Championship title, leading Judd Trump 12-5 after the second session of the final.
Barring an epic fightback tomorrow, O’Sullivan stands on the verge of equalling Stephen Hendry’s record of seven Crucible crowns. His performance today has seen him earn his biggest ever overnight lead in a world final.
The 46-year-old has been producing inspired snooker in this year’s event and is yet to be pushed close. He defeated John Higgins 17-11 in the semis to make the title match.
Trump had a far more exerting last four clash with Mark Williams. He had led 12-5 himself, but nearly succumbed to a superb fightback from Williams. Trump eventually held the Welshman off and came through a 17-16 victor. However, that semi-final appears to have taken its toll on the 23-time ranking event winner.
The afternoon session saw O’Sullivan earn a 5-3 lead, although it was Trump who claimed the last two frames of the session to give himself hope.
A break of 73 saw Trump take the first frame of the evening and pulled him within one of his opponent. However, at that point the Rocket moved into overdrive. Runs of 66, 50, 118 and 97 helped him to take the following three frames and lead 8-4 at the mid-session.
When play resumed O’Sullivan pressed on, as Trump toiled in the Crucible cauldron. Trump missed a long range red by several inches and allowed O’Sullivan to step up and clinch frame 13 with a break of 42. A contribution of 87 then made it five in a row for O’Sullivan at 10-4.
Trump claimed a much needed frame by knocking in a break of 80 to take the 15th. However, runs of 60 and 88 gave O’Sullivan the last two frames to end the evening in complete control.
Follow frame by frame updates as Ronnie O’Sullivan takes on Judd Trump in the Betfred World Championship final…
Frame 17 On a break of 33, Trump runs out of position and goes for a risky long brown, but it rattles in the jaws. Inevitably, he is punished as O’Sullivan makes 88, his tenth break over 50 so far in the final. O’Sullivan’s seven-frame lead is the biggest he has held overnight in a world final. He needs six more frames to take the title, while Trump must win 13 of a possible 18 on Monday. They return at 1pm for eight more. Trump 5-12 O’Sullivan
Frame 16 Trump could do with the slices of luck falling in his favour, but when he pots a long red, the cue ball flicks off another red and goes in-off. That hands O’Sullivan the chance to make 60 and restore his six frame cushion. Trump 5-11 O’Sullivan
Frame 15 Better from Trump! O’Sullivan fails to find his target with a mid-range red and Trump reminds us of his break-building class with a run of 80. The start of a fight back? Two more to come tonight. Trump 5-10 O’Sullivan
Frame 14 The trend continues as Trump misses the pink to a centre pocket, leading 26-1. He hangs his head in his hands, perhaps feeling that the session is slipping away from him. O’Sullivan is making few mistakes and his 87 puts him six frames in front. Trump 4-10 O’Sullivan
Frame 13 Four in a row for O’Sullivan. Trailing 35-0, Trump misses an attempted long red by several inches, and his opponent adds 42 to seal the frame. This is looking like a significant overnight lead for O’Sullivan – though bear in mind he was 10-5 up on Mark Selby at a similar stage in 2014 and ended up losing 18-14. Long way to go… Trump 4-9 O’Sullivan
Frame 12 Leading 15-10, Trump misses a straight-forward black to a top corner. A few minutes later, once O’Sullivan has made a rapid 97, Trump is four frames behind. They head for the dressing rooms, set to return at 8.55pm. Five more frames to come tonight – how many more can O’Sullivan take? Trump 4-8 O’Sullivan
Frame 11 Another early chance for Trump goes begging as he misses a difficult black along the top cushion on 9. And again his opponent takes advantage as O’Sullivan makes a fabulous 118. That’s his 15th century of the tournament, just one short of the record. Can he pull away or will Trump battle back again? Trump 4-7 O’Sullivan
Frame 10 Trump has an early chance to level the match, but makes just 6 before missing the yellow to a baulk corner. He then makes a hash of a safety shot, gifting O’Sullivan an opening. A run of 66 gives him control, and he later adds 50 to double his lead. Trump 4-6 O’Sullivan Frame 9 O’Sullivan has first chance and makes 32 before missing a tricky red to a centre pocket. Trump counters with 73 and that proves enough to give him three frames in a row. Trump 4-5 O’Sullivan
Frame 8 Drama at the end of the session as O’Sullivan, trailing 52-42, has a chance to clear from the last red, but snookers himself on the yellow. He fails to escape, and Trump converts a pressure pot on a mid-range yellow and clears to reduce the gap to two frames. Fascinating match so far! They resume at 7pm for nine more frames. Trump 3-5 O’Sullivan
Frame 7 …and he gets one. Trump pots a long red and gets a slice of fortune as the cue ball kisses three other reds and finishes perfectly on the black. He goes on to make 98 to pull one back. If he can escape the session just 5-3 down he’ll be relieved. Important last frame coming up. Trump 2-5 O’Sullivan
Frame 6 Five in a row for O’Sullivan. A long red initiates a break of 105, his 14th century of the tournament. That’s his personal best tons tally at the Crucible. Trump needs to gain a foothold… Trump 1-5 O’Sullivan
Frame 5 After a promising start, Trump has lost his rhythm. He has a scoring chance but makes only 13 before missing a difficult red to a centre pocket. O’Sullivan, clinical among the balls throughout the tournament, takes advantage with a run of 40 to extend his lead. Trump 1-4 O’Sullivan
Frame 4 An early tactical exchange is interrupted by a long debate between O’Sullivan and referee Olivier Marteel about the position of the cue ball after a foul and a miss. When the snooker resumes, O’Sullivan misses the green to a baulk corner on 25, and Trump responds with 52 before wobbling the last red in the jaws of a top corner. O’Sullivan gets the snooker he needs on the green, and later clears with 25 to force a respotted black. The Rocket’s first shot on the respot is a cocked-hat double which flies into a centre pocket. Trump may spend the interval stewing on the chances he missed to clinch that frame. Trump 1-3 O’Sullivan
Frame 3 A cracking long red from O’Sullivan sets up a break of 68, before he misses a red to a baulk corner. He’s soon back in and adds enough points to take the lead. Trump 1-2 O’Sullivan
Frame 2 Trump’s attempted long red misses its target, and O’Sullivan’s first chance yields a break of 120. That’s his 13th century of the tournament – three more would equal the record held by Stephen Hendry and Mark Williams. Tremendous standard so far! Trump 1-1 O’Sullivan
Frame 1 First blood to Trump. He makes a break of 20 from an early chance then runs out of position. After a safety exchange, he spots a plant among the pack, and smashes it in, splitting the reds perfectly. That sets up a run of 72. O’Sullivan is yet to score a point. Trump 1-0 O’Sullivan
The atmosphere on the day though was marred by a couple of rather heated cleashes between Ronnie and the referee, Olivier Marteel.
Ronnie O’Sullivan Accuses Ref Of “Looking For Trouble” In Heated Crucible Final
Ronnie O’Sullivan was involved in a battle with referee Olivier Marteel on Sunday as the dream Crucible final turned ugly.
A fired-up Rocket is bidding to equal Stephen Hendry’s greatest record by winning the Betfred World Championship for a seventh time.
But the hugely anticipated showpiece against 2019 winner Judd Trump was overshadowed in the first session by two heated clashes between the world No1 and the Belgian official.
And that resulted in the furious 46-year-old legend accusing Marteel of “looking for trouble”.
The biggest flashpoint came in a tense eighth and final frame of the opening afternoon session – creating a poisonous atmosphere in the arena.
O’Sullivan, standing 5-2 ahead, snookered himself behind the blue on the final yellow looking to clear up – and then fouled the black attempting an escape.
But after angrily storming back to his chair the referee paused the game asking Trump to wait – and gave the Rocket an official warning, claiming he made a lewd gesture.
O’Sullivan furiously denied the charge with no clear TV evidence either way – and demanded “Tell me what you saw?”. He then raged: “You saw nothing, don’t start – go and look at the camera”, pointing Marteel to the marker’s video.
Trump had been kept waiting to play his shot all this time at a key stage of the session.
And the unhappy world No4 then joined in, querying the way in which the official had dealt with the issue.
After Marteel told Trump “I had to say something”, the Juddernaut replied: “Couldn’t you have done it after the game?”
O’Sullivan, still protesting his innocence, said on re-entering his dressing-room: “He’s looking for trouble, you get a vibe from the guy.
“They have hundreds of cameras out there and he can go and check them all. I’m not going to have any of it because he is just trying to create something.”
A statement issued by World Snooker Tour after the second incident read: “Ronnie O’Sullivan received a formal warning from the referee following a gesture he made in the eighth frame. There will be no further comment on this matter.”
That effectively meant he was walking a tightrope, with a further warning meaning a frame being docked, and another seeing the final forfeited.
Though O’Sullivan fiercely denied this latest charge of making a gesture, he has been referred to the disciplinary panel over a separate incident earlier in the event.
Incredibly that was O’Sullivan’s SECOND clash with the official with the titanic showdown still in its early hours.
Earlier O’Sullivan, who made his 200th World Championship century in frame two, demanded of Marteel:“ You play the shot” following a row about where the white was replaced.
O’Sullivan could only just see the tiniest edge of a red behind the blue – and asked both Marteel and Trump to check that before his first attempt.
When he failed to make contact a miss was called meaning the white was replaced – but not to O’Sullivan’s satisfaction.
And the resulting argument led to a delay of SIX minutes as roars of laughter rang out from the sell-out 980 crowd.
At one point in the drawn-out process an exasperated Marteel said: “You can see the red on the left-hand side.”
But that only drew the response from O’Sullivan who insisted he couldn’t: “You try, then – do you want me to play another shot? I can’t see it.”
Peacemaker Trump helped resolve the situation, agreeing to move the white slightly, and O’Sullivan then managed to hit the offending red.
The fireworks were not even over in that frame – as Trump blew a chance to level at 2-2 and then saw his rival pot a re-spotted black with a ‘cocked-hat double’ off two cushions to lead 3-1.
O’Sullivan, who refused the traditional shake of the referee’s hand at the end of the first session, had also complained about a security guard at the back of the arena – insisting that he was moving.
But with renowned sports psychiatrist Steve Peters – who helped save O’Sullivan’s career in 2011 when he was on the verge of quitting – in his corner and dressing room for the evening session, things took a calmer turn in the Sunday evening session, the second of the final.
Without acknowledging he had made any gesture O’Sullivan did apologise to Marteel for how he had handled the whole situation – and there was a fist-bump at the start of the second session.
The incidents were quite unsettling and I’m honnestly not sure what to make of it all. I know them both, Ronnie and Olivier, and like them both but they are very different personalities and that’s at the core of the clash IMO.
The first incident – the ball replacement argument – was a strange one really. Ronnie knew, right from the start, that he may fail to make contact and invited Olivier to have a good look at the situation, saying that he could see a thin edge of the ball “on”. He invited Judd to have a look as well, and, for some reason that appeared to irritate Olivier. I’m sure though that Ronnie’s intention was only to make sure that the ball would be replaced accurately, should he miss and he probably expected the “exact” replacement to be difficult. Ronnie is many things, but he’s not a cheat. He did fail to make contact, and the replacement indeed proved difficult and time consuming. There was no reason why Ronnie should accept it, if he felt that the balls were not replaced accurately, BUT he could certainly have expressed himself with more patience … this is not an easy job by any means. Eventually, Judd’s contribution proved to be very valuable and would not have been possible if he had not got the opportunity to take a good look at the original situation.
Regarding the second incident, there is no denying that a frustrated Ronnie got very angry, spoke to Olivier in a very aggressive way and that was definitely not on. Ronnie has little patience and not much “filter”. I’m not making excuses here, I’m stating facts. That said, you have to wonder if he would protest so vehemently, insisting that Olivier should look at the footages, if he had indeed made an inappropriate gesture. That would be daft, as he would be found out there and then … and Ronnie is not stupid. Therefore I’m not sure what Olivier actually saw although I’m sure he didn’t “make it up”. He’s a person with the highest integrity. The only explanation I can think of is that there is/was a huge and extremely unfortunate misunderstanding here… between two guys who were both already upset because of what had previously happened in the session. We should remember that they are both working under extreme pressure out there.
The semi-finals concluded yesterday and we have got Ronnie v Judd Trump in the final.
Ronnie was 10-6 up on John Higgins at the start of the day and ended up winning the match 17-11. He was 15-9 up after the morning session and finished the match before the MSI in the evening. Although this looks comfortable on paper, it was in fact an incredibly tense match. Ronnie however finished it with a flourish: a brilliant 134.
Ronnie O’Sullivan extended his lead over John Higgins to 15-9 going into the last session of their Betfred World Championship semi-final.
The duo return at 7pm on Saturday evening for the concluding chapter of this absorbing battle, but Higgins needs the fight back of a lifetime as he requires eight of the last nine frames.
If O’Sullivan can take the two he needs, he’ll be through to an eighth Crucible final, which would leave him just one short of Stephen Hendry’s record of nine. World number one O’Sullivan has won six of his seven finals – if he lifts the trophy on Monday night he will match Hendry’s coveted record of seven crowns, and also become the oldest ever World Champion at the age of 46.
Higgins had spells where he looked set to work his way back into the tie, but a handful of key errors at crucial moments, coupled with O’Sullivan’s magnificent break-building, allowed the Englishman to develop what looks like an unassailable advantage.
Four-time champion Higgins trailed 10-6 overnight and took a scrappy opening frame today to close the gap. He had first chance in frame 18 but failed to land on a red when he split the pack on 32 and had to play safe. After a tactical exchange, O’Sullivan made a fantastic 82 clearance to go 11-7 ahead.
The 19th came down to the last red and Higgins trapped his opponent in a tough snooker, and took the chance that followed to draw within three again. O’Sullivan responded with a break 101, then Higgins replied with a 103 for 12-9. The Scot had an early chance in frame 22 but missed a short-range red to a centre pocket, and was punished as O’Sullivan made a 121.
Higgins banged his cue on the floor in frustration when he missed a red early in frame 23. He later had a clear scoring opportunity but was unlucky to run out of position when he went into a cluster of reds, trailing 50-26. O’Sullivan again took advantage with a run of 54, and he finished the session in style with a 134 total clearance, his 12th century of the tournament.
John Higgins very rarely shows as much frustration as he did yesterday: for him to bang his cue it must have been overwhelming. That nearly never happens, so much so that Neal Fould, in commentary, branded it a “collector’s item”.
Ronnie O’Sullivan moved a step closer to winning a milestone seventh Betfred World Championship title with a 17-11 victory over John Higgins, setting up what could be one of the great Crucible finals against Judd Trump.
Higgins described his opponent as “lethal” as O’Sullivan treated the Sheffield crowd to a potting masterclass, making five centuries and 12 more breaks over 50 as he recovered an early 3-0 deficit to take 17 of the last 25 frames.
The Rocket is into his eighth Crucible final, having won the title in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2020; his only final defeat was against Mark Selby in 2014. He will face Trump over a possible 35 frames on Sunday and Monday for the trophy and £500,000 top prize. The champion will also finish the season as world number one.
Victory would see O’Sullivan equal Stephen Hendry’s record of seven world titles which has stood since 1999, and raise his marvellous career to yet another high. O’Sullivan is set to play in his 61st ranking final and is aiming for his 39th ranking title, which would move him further clear of Hendry’s previous record of 36. He is on course for a 21st Triple Crown success as he has already won the Masters and UK Championship seven times apiece.
The 46-year-old will be the oldest Crucible finalist since 1982 when a 49-year-old Ray Reardon lost to Alex Higgins. If Chigwell’s O’Sullivan wins the title he will be the oldest ever World Champion. He and Trump – the sport’s two greatest entertainers – have previously met in the ten finals, including the UK Championship and the Masters – but this will be their first Crucible final.
Higgins has had the edge over O’Sullivan in their matches this season, winning their last three meetings. But after a bright start this time, he was unable to score heavily enough to keep pace – the Scot failed to make a break over 60 until the 21st frame. The 46-year-old misses out on the chance to play for a fifth world title and, at the end of a season where he has shown a high level of consistency, he has added only the Championship League to his trophy collection.
Trailing 15-9, Higgins won the opening frame of the last session with a break of 69. He had a scoring chance in the next but ran out of position on 9, and O’Sullivan capitalised with 67 to go six up with seven to play.
Frame 27 came down to a safety battle on the last red, and Higgins got the better of the tactical exchange to keep his hopes alive. But O’Sullivan wrapped up the contest in the 28th with a break of 83.
“This tournament is the real deal, it’s great to do well in it,” said O’Sullivan, making his 30th appearance at the Crucible. “I’m hitting the ball ok in patches. There are spells when I feel really good, and others when it’s harder. That’s just the nature of snooker and getting older. I am calling on my experience to try to become a tidier player. I am not as fearless as I used to be so I have to make up for that in other areas.
“Judd is more attacking and aggressive than me, he has got more cue power so he can play shots that I can’t. We both go for our shots and try to win frames in one visit. Sometimes we have to pull shots out of the bag to keep the break going while other players might bail out and play safe. If we both play to 80 percent of our game it will be amazing. There’s two days to go so I’m going to enjoy it and see what’s left in the tank.
“I am not focussed on titles, what I have won and haven’t won. It’s more about the experience and enjoying it. When I won this title in 2020 it didn’t change my life. If I win it again I’m not sure I will feel overly elated. But it would still be nice to have.”
Higgins said: “I’m disappointed by the way I played. I was so up for the game, playing the great man over three days. It was a great occasion and a great crowd, but Ronnie was far too good for me. He was lethal. I don’t think he missed one ball when he was in among them, he might have run out of position a few times, but other than that he was unbelievable.
“In most people’s eyes he is the greatest ever. If he wins it and equals Stephen’s seven titles, it might put to bed any argument about that.
“I’ll come back. But there’s only so much your mental state can take when you play as badly as that. It’s soul destroying when you’re out there. But I’ll keep on giving it a go.”
Here are the scores for that session:
John Higgins had won most of their matches in recent years, and had previously beaten Ronnie three times out of 5 at The Cucible. The record is now 3 wins each. Remarkably, they had not played each other in the World Championship since 2011, and the last time they had played over 4 sessions was in 2001 when Ronnie won his first World title.
Ronnie might downplay his hunger and and desire to win, but his attitude since the first ball in this championship is telling another story. He wants this one. Whether he can get it, we shall see. Judd Trump has been struggling for most of the season but has been building himself into form over the last two weeks. He won’t make it easy for Ronnie and Ronnie knows it. But for now, I’m over the moon that Ronnie overcame his “Higgins mental block” and beat him so soundly in such an important match.
In the afternoon Judd Trump overcame Mark Williams in one of the most extraordinary match I ever watched … and I have been watching about everything for the last 18 years.
Judd Trump reached the final of the Betfred World Championship for the third time, scoring a 17-16 victory over Mark Williams who narrowly failed to pull of one of the Crucible’s greatest comebacks.
Having trailed 9-2 and 12-5, Williams recovered to lead 16-15 and was on the verge of becoming the first player to win from seven frames behind in a Sheffield semi-final. But Trump regrouped in time to take the last two frames and set up a final against Ronnie O’Sullivan or John Higgins on Sunday and Monday.
A tremendous match joins a list of dramatic recent semi-finals to go to a deciding frame, alongside O’Sullivan’s win over Mark Selby and Kyren Wilson’s defeat of Anthony McGill in 2020, and Higgins’ success against David Gilbert in 2019.
Trump now has the chance to win a second world title, having beaten Higgins in the 2019 final. Victory would make him the seventh player to lift the trophy more than once at the Crucible, joining Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, Williams, Higgins, O’Sullivan and Selby. If the Bristol cueman takes the £500,000 top prize he will also finish the event as world number one.
Though he has won two tournaments this season – the Cazoo Champion of Champions and Nirvana Turkish Masters – Trump has also had interludes where he has struggled for form and motivation. At the recent Cazoo Tour Championship he even hinted at taking a long break from the sport. While he arrived in Sheffield as the favourite in 2020 and 2021, this time expectations were lower. Trump has gathered momentum gradually over the fortnight, and looked close to his best during the first two sessions of the semi-final.
Welshman Williams misses out on a fifth world final and the chance to add to the crowns he won in 2000, 2003 and 2018. At 47, he would also have been the oldest Crucible finalist since Ray Reardon in 1982 – that privilege will now go to either Higgins or O’Sullivan.
Remarkably, despite failing to reach the final, Williams equalled the long-standing record for most centuries in a single Championship, set by Stephen Hendry in 2002. He made 16 tons in his four matches.
Trump is into his 36th ranking final
Trailing 13-11 going into the last session, Williams had made 42 in the opening frame today when he missed a tough red to a centre pocket, and Trump took advantage with an excellent 64 clearance to extend his lead. Trump had a chance to clear from 49-0 down in the next but was unlucky to snooker himself in trying to get position from black to yellow. Williams executed brilliant pots on yellow and green as he closed the gap.
A run of 59 helped give Williams frame 27, and he took the next with a superb 137 total clearance. Having led since 1-0, Trump was now level at 14-14. In frame 29, Williams trailed 48-27 when he made a safety error with four reds left, and Trump added the points he needed to regain the lead.
World number eight Williams responded with a 138 to equal Hendry’s record of 16 tons. Frame 31 lasted 33 minutes and came down to a safety battle on the blue. Williams snared his opponent in a snooker behind the black, and from the chance that followed he potted blue and pink to lead for the first time. Two early chances in frame 32 yielded only 14 points for Williams. Trump led 30-14 when he slotted in a long red and added enough points for 16-16.
Williams fluked a red early in the decider but then missed a tough blue, and Trump took control with a run of 49. The Englishman led 51-25 when he played a clever cross double on the penultimate red, then potted brown, red and black which proved enough for victory.
“I was so relieved to get over the line, it was tough,” admitted Trump, winner of 23 ranking titles. “Most of the crowd were with Mark because they want to see a fight back and that makes it hard. It’s a daunting atmosphere to play in when the crowd are against you, you are sitting in your chair a lot and it’s difficult to get your form back. I think that’s why we see so many come backs here.
“I’m looking forward to taking the night off and then looking ahead to the final. I’ve had a tough draw all the way through but it’s a dream to play against the best and challenge myself. Whether it’s John or Ronnie in the final, it will be an incredible occasion.
“I said it in every round that it is a free shot and I don’t expect anything of myself. I felt a lot better yesterday, like I did against John in 2019. I feel like I am close to being at my best.
“I was fearing the worst when Mark fluked a red in the last frame. Luckily for me he missed a couple towards the end because he barely missed for two sessions. I was trying to stay positive and still enjoying it, but I just tried to not get too down on myself.”
Williams said: “In the last frame I thought I played two really good safeties and I’m not sure if he went for the cross double – if he did then fair play because I thought I had him in trouble. It was a fantastic occasion, the crowd were unbelievable, I think I must have had at least 80 percent of the crowd on my side. I’d like to thank the crowd for the atmosphere but unfortunately, I came up short in a decider again.
“I had the momentum and put him under a lot of pressure. I was playing really well and making some good breaks, at one stage I don’t think he potted a ball for about 50 minutes. Who does that to Trump? I suppose that’s some consolation. But when it comes to that fighting edge at the end, I just haven’t got it.”
Never mind… we still love you Willo!
It was really a fantastic match, especially for the neutral. I’ll say this once again: there is nothing like the longer formats to bring up pressure and drama.
Let’s hope that the final lives up to the standard set in the semi-finals.
Snooker’s biggest tournaments will continue to be broadcast by BBC for another five years following an extension to the current agreement with WST.
The 2022 Cazoo British Open will run from September 26th to October 2nd at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes and will see prominent Cazoo branding on the main set, players’ waistcoats and interview and media conference backdrops and will have extensive live coverage on ITV and a range of broadcasters across the globe.
Snooker’s British Open was first staged in 1985 and remained on the calendar until 2004, then returned in 2021 after a 17-year gap. Mark Williams is the defending champion having beaten Gary Wilson 6-4 in the final in Leicester.
Judd Trump battled back into contention in the Betfred World Championship final and now only trails Ronnie O’Sullivan 14-11 heading into this evening’s last session.
Ronnie O’Sullivan underlined his status as snooker’s greatest ever player by beating Judd Trump 18-13 in the Betfred World Championship final to conquer the Crucible for the seventh time.
O’Sullivan celebrates with daughter Lilly and son Ronnie
“I’m 46 and playing against guys in their early 20s. They are forcing me to stay fit and healthy and to keep a sensible schedule.
Ronnie O’Sullivan leads after the first session of the Betfred World Championship final, but Judd Trump took the last two frames to end the afternoon just two behind at 5-3.
Ronnie O’Sullivan extended his lead over John Higgins to 15-9 going into the last session of their Betfred World Championship semi-final.
Ronnie O’Sullivan moved a step closer to winning a milestone seventh Betfred World Championship title with a 17-11 victory over John Higgins, setting up what could be one of the great Crucible finals against Judd Trump.
Higgins has had the edge over O’Sullivan in their matches this season, winning their last three meetings. But after a bright start this time, he was unable to score heavily enough to keep pace – the Scot failed to make a break over 60 until the 21st frame. The 46-year-old misses out on the chance to play for a fifth world title and, at the end of a season where he has shown a high level of consistency, he has added only the Championship League to his trophy collection.
Judd Trump reached the final of the Betfred World Championship for the third time, scoring a 17-16 victory over Mark Williams who narrowly failed to pull of one of the Crucible’s greatest comebacks.
Trump is into his 36th ranking final
“I’m looking forward to taking the night off and then looking ahead to the final. I’ve had a tough draw all the way through but it’s a dream to play against the best and challenge myself. Whether it’s John or Ronnie in the final, it will be an incredible occasion.
Ronnie O'Sullivan 