UK Championship final: Ronnie O’Sullivan clinches record-extending eighth title vs Ding Junhui

O’Sullivan’s victory comes 30 years after he first won the title, defeating Stephen Hendry 10-6 in 1993. Prior to this year, he had most recently won the trophy in 2018.

The 47-year-old adds the 2023 title to previous wins in 1993, 1997, 2001, 2007, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018. Ding suffered a second successive final defeat, having fallen 10-7 to Mark Allen last year. He remains a three-time UK Championship winner (2005, 2009, 2019).

O’Sullivan told BBC Sport: “He’s played fantastic all week, I’ve been watching all his games and his cue ball control is the best ever – he’s never out of position, it’s like watching a computer. “It’s a pleasure to play Ding, he’s such a good man – he was a boy when I first started playing him but he’s a man now, a father, a credit to China, I call him the Godfather of Chinese snooker, he paved the way for everybody else to believe they could come here and do it. Stephen Hendry s victory comes at the age of 47, with him now having lifted the trophy in four decades

“He’s a huge inspiration for all snooker players; I’m a huge fan of his, and it’s an honor to play him in the final.” I’m sure there are millions of people watching in China, so it’s a fantastic experience for me, and the crowd here has been fantastic all week; I love playing here.”

“It’s been a very good week for me,” said Ding Junhui. “I knew tonight was going to be difficult.

“I like how I’ve been playing this week; it’s very cool.” I appreciate the fans’ support at every game, and I enjoy being here.

”

Ding, who, like O’Sullivan, won his first UK title as a teenager in 2005, hauled the world number one back from 4-1 and 7-5 leads, and consecutive breaks of 100 and 74 set up his final flourish.

It was an admirable effort from the Chinese player, who had climbed out of his sickbed on the first day to sink defending champion Allen after seriously considering withdrawing from the tournament.

Three times the 36-year-old blew early frame-winning opportunities to fall 3-0 then 4-1 behind before belatedly stirring to reel off three frames in a row including breaks of 114 and 70.

O’Sullivan re-established his lead with a break of 84 in the first frame of the evening, but there was a hint of impatience in the next when he chose not to play on despite trailing by 51 and only requiring one snooker.

Ding appeared intent on consolidating his lead, but was punished for taking some risky long shots in the next two frames, with O’Sullivan edging ahead again with breaks of 40 and 87, then emerging from a scrappy spell in the next to lead at the interval 7-5.

Ding’s hard-earned 58 brought him back within one frame before a magnificent 104, his second century of the final, brought him back level.