Ronnie O'Sullivan receives major world rankings boost with record UK Championship snooker victory – 'I used my head'

ByEurosport

Updated 04/12/2023 at 09:53 GMT

Ronnie O'Sullivan became the oldest and youngest winner of the UK Championship on Sunday night after his record-extending eighth victory at the event saw him defeat Ding Junhui 10-7 in York. The snooker GOAT's glorious success is set to unlock several benefits for the rest of the season with access to the World Grand Prix, Players Championship and Tour Championship all secured after the New Year.

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Ronnie O'Sullivan is set to compete at the lucrative World Grand Prix, Players Championship and Tour Championship this season after collecting a record eighth UK title in York.

The world No. 1 did not qualify for the Players or Tour Championship last season on the sport's one-year list, but the £250,000 winner's cheque earned from defeating Ding Junhui 10-7 on Sunday will finalise the snooker GOAT's spot at the three blue-chip ranking events in a major boost to his campaign.

Only the top 32 compete at the World Grand Prix (15-21 January in Leicester) with the top 16 at the Players Championship (19-25 February in Telford) and top eight at the Tour Championship (1-7 April in Manchester) narrowing down the season's form horses.

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Masters champion Judd Trump heads the one-year list on 403,000 points after his title wins at the English Open, Wuhan Open and Northern Ireland Open, but O'Sullivan moves up to second spot in the standings on 306,500 ahead of International champion Zhang Anda (255,500).

O'Sullivan has twice won the World Grand Prix (2018, 2021), while he also did the Players and Tour Championship double in 2019.

With his record 40th career ranking success secured at the UK, he also moves further ahead of Trump at the top of the world rankings with his victory in York seeing him increase his total to 1,117,500 points with Trump in second spot on 908,500 – 209,000 points adrift of top spot.

O'Sullivan celebrated the 30th anniversary of becoming the youngest UK champion in history at the age of 17 in 1993 by becoming the oldest on the cusp of turning 48 on Tuesday. He also triumphed in 1997, 2001, 2007, 2014, 2017 and 2018.

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“I love it. I love competing, I love performing, I love playing and I love that I went out there tonight and I used my head," said O'Sullivan on WST.

"Because at the end of the day I have this thing in my head that people want me to play perfect snooker.

"My friend said to me the other day that they don’t. He said they love your thoughts, and love all of the ups and downs of it.

"I just wanted to go out there today and try hard to be professional and honest.

"If I won great, and if I didn’t then at least do my best."

O'Sullivan will begin his quest for an eighth Masters title against Ding at the Alexandra Palace in London next month (7-14 January) after the final draw was confirmed following the conclusion of the UK Championship.

A fourth UK victory for Ding would have seen him meet Ali Carter in the first round, but the German Masters winner will now face Mark Williams with Ding getting the chance to exact a measure of immediate sporting revenge against O'Sullivan, who is set to head off to Macau to play an exhibition tournament over Christmas.