Ronnie O’Sullivan, the best snooker participant of all time, has gained the UK Championship for a record-extending eighth time after his 10-7 victory over Ding Junhui within the 2023 last.

Within the thirtieth anniversary since his first UK Championship victory, he’s no longer solely the youngest Triple Crown winner, however the oldest, two days shy of his forty eighth birthday. 

Each gamers shared their nice appreciation for one another, with O’Sullivan including how a lot he nonetheless enjoys competing.

“Every match I win, I take nice pleasure in,” Ronnie O’Sullivan, who additionally gained this season’s Shanghai Masters, stated afterwards.

“Tonight I simply needed to come out with a very good head – I believed, if I’m going to lose, make Ding earn it.”

“There was a giant crowd and everybody was watching so I needed to go away blood, sweat, and tears on the desk if I didn’t win.

“I gave it my all, I like competing, and I liked competing with Ding tonight.”

After a number of easy pots have been missed by Ding within the first three frames, it regarded like O’Sullivan would coast to the profitable line.

Two breaks of 71 and an extra 91, although, have been countered by a robust 89 from Ding to carry on at 3-1 because the gamers went to the mid-session interval.

Play resumed with the Rocket re-establishing a three-frame buffer, however after a foul utilizing the remaining on high of the spider within the sixth body, the wind started to vary.

The Dragon started to breathe hearth, and he secured the ultimate three frames of the session to make it 4-4, scoring 241 factors with out reply together with a break of 114.

The 2023 UK Championship finale resumed within the night, with the gamers popping out to a feverish crowd at The Barbican in York who had no thought which method the match was going to go.

A clearly centered world primary picked up his tempo across the desk, taking a 7-5 lead earlier than the ultimate mid-session interval.

With breaks of 84, 87, and 79, O’Sullivan was discovering the match rhythm he had mentioned & sought all week, rapidly giving up on snookers required within the one body his opponent gained.

The Chinese language sensation, with little doubt tens of tens of millions watching in the course of the night time again dwelling, retaliated instantly with two sharp frames – together with with a century to make it 7-7.

However that ton clearly poked the bear that’s Ronnie O’Sullivan, as he reeled off three frames in fast vogue with breaks of 100, 74, and 129 within the final to safe a 10-7 victory, and proceed his astonishing profession’s tally of wins.

Ding Junhui will certainly be disenchanted, however he ought to take dwelling with him a number of positives from his seven matches within the final two weeks.

Contemplating he virtually pulled out of the match earlier than his last-32 encounter with Mark Allen citing in poor health well being, and the true grit he confirmed in some very tight matches, he has secured a spot again within the high 16 the place he belongs.

This, after all, offers him a spot in January’s Masters at Ally Pally, the place his first-round match will likely be in opposition to? Ronnie O’Sullivan.

As for the latter – who now boasts 40 rating titles and 22 Triple Crown victories – who is aware of what number of extra the 2023 UK Championship winner can add?

For a participant who says he hates speaking about his numbers & statistics, it’s as much as the remainder of us to marvel in awe on the Rocket’s additional brilliance within the hardest of sports activities.

2023 UK Championship draw and outcomes

Final 32 (bo11)

Mark Allen (1) 5-6 Ding Junhui
Tom Ford (16) 6-5 Noppon Saengkham
Mark Williams (9) 6-4 Fan Zhengyi
Kyren Wilson (8) 5-6 Jamie Clarke

Mark Selby (5) 6-0 Mark Joyce
Barry Hawkins (12) 6-4 Ben Woollaston
Jack Lisowski (13) 4-6 Jamie Jones
Judd Trump (4) 6-1 Pang Junxu

Ronnie O’Sullivan (3) 6-2 Anthony McGill
Robert Milkins (14) 6-5 Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
John Higgins (11) 6-3 Joe O’Connor
Neil Robertson (6) 2-6 Zhou Yuelong

Shaun Murphy (7) 4-6 Hossein Vafaei
Ali Carter (10) 3-6 Matthew Selt
Zhang Anda (15) 6-5 Elliot Slessor
Luca Brecel (2) 6-4 Yuan Sijun

Final 16 (bo11)

Ding Junhui 6-3 Tom Ford (16)
Mark Williams (9) 6-4 Jamie Clarke
Mark Selby (5) 6-5 Barry Hawkins (12)
Jamie Jones 0-6 Judd Trump (4)

Ronnie O’Sullivan (3) 6-5 Robert Milkins (14)
John Higgins (11) 3-6 Zhou Yuelong
Hossein Vafaei 6-1 Matthew Selt
Zhang Anda (15) 6-4 Luca Brecel (2)

Quarter-Finals (bo11)

Ding Junhui 6-5 Mark Williams (9)
Mark Selby (5) 3-6 Judd Trump (4)
Ronnie O’Sullivan (3) 6-5 Zhou Yuelong
Hossein Vafaei 6-4 Zhang Anda (15)

Semi-Finals (bo11)

Ding Junhui 6-4 Judd Trump (4)
Ronnie O’Sullivan (3) 6-2 Hossein Vafaei

Ultimate (bo19)

Ding Junhui 7-10 Ronnie O’Sullivan (3)

Featured photograph credit score: WST