‘The Rocket’ Ronnie O’Sullivan successfully defended his Dafabet Champion of Champions title in magnificent style with a 10 frames to 7 victory over Judd Trump 10-7 this evening at Ricoh Arena, writes Ziad Chaudry.
It looked very much that the 38-year-old world number 4 from Chigwell, Essex was on his way to securing a comfortable victory but Trump clawed his way back from 8-3 down to win four successive frames including back to back centuries.
However O’Sullivan reached the two frames he required to claim the £100,000 top prize with breaks of 63 and 109.
Coventry in a match of the highest quality. It capped a week that saw him record victories over and then Trump to claim the
“That was as well as you can play,” said O’Sullivan who beat Stuart Bingham, Marco Fu and Ding Junhui on route to his second title.
“I had four centuries, two or three 70s and a couple of 80s. That is nine frames without reply. Judd played some good stuff as well and I am happy to have been involved in a match of such quality.
“At 8-3 I knew Judd is an aggressive player and would come out all guns blazing, he wasn’t going to sit on the fence and wait for his chances, he was going to try and make something happen. He potted some fantastic balls and got back in, but I always said in my mind that if he gets to within one or two frames then the balls get a bit harder, a bit more pressure mounts.
“I thought be patient, try and keep him honest and that is what I did. That is when it matters, at the end of the match.”