UK Championship 2023: Ronnie O’Sullivan wins an unprecedented ninth championship
With a record-tying ninth title in York, Ronnie O’Sullivan defeated Ding Junhui 10-7 to become the oldest-ever UK champion.
Two days before he turns 48, and thirty years after being the youngest player to win the UK Championship at the age of seventeen, O’Sullivan has achieved his victory.
The match was evenly balanced at 4–4 going into the last session on Sunday.
However, O’Sullivan prevailed, scoring two century and four half-centuries, to claim the £250,000 top prize.
O’Sullivan has surpassed Doug Mountjoy’s record from 1988, when he defeated Stephen Hendry at the age of 46 to win his second UK title, thanks to his extraordinary endurance at the top of the game.
“I get tremendous joy from every competition I participate in and win,” O’Sullivan said to BBC Sport.
“I needed to have a clear brain and come out. I wanted to spill my blood, sweat, and tears on the table because there was a large crowd. I love competing, so I came out and gave it everything.I constantly criticize myself because of my age. I keep thinking that you have to give up winning at some time, but I’m doing fine and I’ll keep going until the wheels come off.”
O’Sullivan’s
Ding exhibits a spirit of defiance
China’s Ding has lost in the final by a three-frame deficit for the second year in a row, albeit this match was far different from his agonizing loss to Mark Allen a year ago, when he let a 6-1 lead to slip.
The three-time champion, who claims to adore playing at the Yorkshire location, responded magnificently to trailing 3-0 on Sunday afternoon, scoring 89, a magnificent 114, and 70 to tie the score.
Those fighting abilities were first displayed that evening when Ding, who had to qualify after falling just outside of the top 16 players in the world, punished O’Sullivan for missing a blue to the top-left pocket in order to tie the score at 5-5.
