UK Championship 2023 final as it happened - Ronnie O'Sullivan clinches glory with inspired win over Ding Junhui
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ByEurosport
Updated 03/12/2023 at 22:13 GMT
Welcome to Eurosport's live coverage of the 2023 UK Championship final as Ronnie O'Sullivan and Ding Junhui face off in a meeting of the two youngest winners of the tournament. O'Sullivan is bidding to become the oldest winner of the Triple Crown event just two days before his 48th birthday. Ding meanwhile has been the surprise of the week, taking out Mark Allen, Mark Williams and Judd Trump.
O'Sullivan emotional as he clinches UK Championship glory with stunning clearance
That's us done for tonight
Thanks for your company through the tournament - hopefully you've enjoyed it as much as we have.. Peace out.
What a fun match that was
And what a great tournament. in the end, Ronnie was just too good down the stretch and these two will play in the first round of the Masters; decent. Ronnie raises the trophy, and it's just absolutely incredible that I'm typing that, aged 43, in 2023, given I remember him as a 17-year-old aged 13 in 1993.
Ronnie speaks
He thinks Ding's cue-ball control is the best ever, and that he's known him as a boy but now he's a man, the Godfather of Chinese Snooker. It's an honour to compete against him, he's a sound bloke, and Ronnie's had a good week. It's a strange game, he reckons, because he's won this week when not playing his best stuff and played his best stuff and been beaten. But he loves the satisfaction of winning a tournament, he loves competing, and he'l "lkeep going till the wheels come off".
Ding speaks
He made a bad start bit took it frame by frame and 4-4 at the interval wasn't bad, but Ronnie played better tonight He likes playing more attacking snooker - "it's cool" - and that's abourt it.
Ronnie O'Sullivan beats Ding Junhui 10-7! He wins the UK Championship for the eighth time!
No one has won any triple-crown even more. Ronnie playing at 70% has been too much for the field this week, and when Ding pushed him to find more, he did. He is so, so good at this - it's impossible to conceive of anyone ever being better at anything, though surely some day someone will be - and he rockets green to left corner, glides down a glorious blue ... then goes in-off off the pink. No 146, but a 133 isn't bad! I cannot believe how ludicrous this man is, the crowd giving Ronnie every drop of adoration and adulation he deserves. Amazing. A genius, an artist and the arch competitor.
O'Sullivan 8-7 Ding (60-0)
Ronnie flows home the loose reds, ruffles the pack to liberate a couple more, and he's saved his best for last: since 7-7 is the best he's played this week. YHe breaks the pack off the black, and this is over! Ronald Antonio O'Sullivan is going to win the UK Championships for the eighth time! Bow down to the master!
O'Sullivan 8-7 Ding (30-0)
Now then. Ronnie forces a foul-miss out of Ding, takes the chance he's offered, and here's his first chance to win his eighth UK Championship, 30 years after he debuted in the event as a 17-year-old. Ding will be fearing the worst.
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O'Sullivan clears up stylishly to add to lead in UK Championship final
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'That's what he thought of that!' - O'Sullivan drops rest on table in frustration over miss
O'Sullivan 8-7 Ding
No ton, but a 74 from Ronnie, whose sprint to the line looks timed to perfection.
O'Sullivan 8-7 Ding (66-8)
Ronnie makes the frame safe, ad Ding needs three straight to avoid defeat.
O'Sullivan 8-7 Ding (51-8)
The balls, though, come to Ding's rescue ... until Ronnie smokes down another glorious red to right corner - the ones he was practising this morning, says Angles. This time, though, if Ronnie can break the pack he might be able to in the frame at this visit ... if he takes on the narrowest of cuts on the pink to right-middle. Of course he does ... AND OF COURSE HE DOES! That is an absolute animal of a pot, and it's going to put the man one frame away from becoming the first man to win any triple crown event thrice.
O'Sullivan 8-7 Ding (7-8)
Playing a thin contact, Ronnie's fouled and thinks he hit it, so Rob Spencer has another look and changes his mind - relying, reckons Angles, on the integrity of the player. Ding then leaves one, but with the white on the rail, Ronnie can't get on to anything off it ... and worse, doesn't really have a safety available. So he leaves a straight one to right corner, Ding punches it down ... then misses to left-middle shortly afterwards. He's not been finding those bags this evening, and when Ronnie drills home a fine starter, he'll be concerned; two down with three to play would be a problem.
O'Sullivan 8-7 Ding
Ronnie makes his first ton of the match and Ding just can't get in front - he's either been level or trailed the whole match - but I've not a clue who's going to win this, and both players are feeling good. This could be very special.
O'Sullivan 7-7 Ding (42-0)
A sweet yellow brings Ronnie up the table and a frame-winning contribution looks inevitable here. When we look back at this match, that long red might be a turning point, because this is lovely, sharp stuff.
O'Sullivan 7-7 Ding (24-0)
"Sweet snooker symphony!" coos Angles unimprovably, as Ronnie monsters a long starter to right corner off the break. He quickly adds a black, and picks off the loose reds expertly.
O'Sullivan 7-7 Ding
Tell you what, Ding playing this well and only being level tells you how good off-it Ronnie must be.
O'Sullivan 7-7 Ding
Angles notes how quick Ding is on the shot. He gets down, "Boom and he's there." He can't clear the table, but he'll take a 104, and we're back level!
O'Sullivan 7-6 Ding (0-67)
We said Ding can razz out a couple of frames just like that and le voila; he's enjoying this. So are we, Ding lad, so are we.
O'Sullivan 7-6 Ding (0-31)
When I saw the lay of the table as the first ball went down, I thought "Ding". He's so good with the pack open and he really believes in himself at the moment.
O'Sullivan 7-6 Ding (0-4)
Oooh yeah! Off Ronnie's break, Ding times a beauty - a starter to right corner - and there are a fair few balls loose for him.
O'Sullivan 7-6 Ding
You still feel Ronnie can up it if he's forced to, but this is still close and Ding's capable of taking two one-visit frames against anyone.
O'Sullivan 7-5 Ding (4-66)
Now then. Ding is such a craftsman! He fashions a delicate little plant, cut-back along the top rail - that's glorious - and then he misses pink into the same right-middle jaw. Ronnie, though, can't see away the dangled starter - to his gross displeasure - and Ding will now secure the frame.
O'Sullivan 7-5 Ding (4-58)
Ding bins the easy balls and needs red-colour-red ... but he drills one he should sort into the far knuckle of right-middle! He's still in decent shape, though, because four of the remaining reds are safe, near cushions and stuck to each other; we're soon back playing safety.
O'Sullivan 7-5 Ding (0-46)
What a legend: when Angles woke up this morning, he watched Ding's win over John Higgins in the 2009 final of this competition, checking out how his swing is; he thinks he's pretty much ironed out his glitch, and in rhe meantime, this frame is quickly disappearing.
O'Sullivan 7-5 Ding (0-20)
Mistake from Ronnie, leaving a variety of balls; Ding strokes one to left corner, gets the pink replaced onto the black spot, and in so doing turns a chance for some points into a chance for the frame. He knows he really must take this.
O'Sullivan 7-5 Ding (0-6)
Left a thin one to middle from the top end, Ding - who needs this frame and knows it - just about clips home. The white, though, is one the side ... but he still sinks blue and cannons red, landing dead straight on one along the cushion. He's not having that, so plays safe.
We go again...
O'Sullivan 7-5 Ding
Remorseless and relentless, Ronnie said the other day that stopping the likes of Selby, Trump and the rest winning titles is one of the things that keeps him going; Ding is feeling that now. Otherwise, that's the mid-sesh; join me again in 15 minutes to see what happens next!
O'Sullivan 6-5 Ding (64-6)
Ronnie is also relentless, and he's not going hand it over with the trophy and cheque on the line.
O'Sullivan 6-5 Ding (23-6)
"There's no doubt which of the two is the aggressor," says Angles when Ding goes all-in and leaves the world. "Ronnie will be glad to pick up the pieces!" That's the thing: it may well be the best way for Ding to win this is to play shots, but he needs to miss less often - and actually, Angles extends his point, saying that of the two, Ding's probably happier with his game. And that's another thing: Ronnie's bottom and modal levels are stratospheric, so even players as brilliant as his opponent here can hit a decent stride and still lose.
O'Sullivan 6-5 Ding (1-6)
Ding gets in but can't make a pot into a chance, then guides another home before paying safe off the blue and onto the green, itself on the bottom rail. So just as I was wondering if this'd be a scrappy frame, Ronnie has a situation from which he needs to extricate himself .. he can't ... but Ding then misses to right corner! Can the Rocket capitalise He cannot, overunning and kissing a black he played to pot. Escapes for both men.
O'Sullivan 6-5 Ding (0-0)
Ronnie takes on one he should get to left corner but cues across it - I think - and misses it thick. Meanwhile in comms, Angles quickly clarifies, saying usually, he'd try and pot it then hold for a high-value colour, but because he respects Ding's ability in the balls, he's digging into the white to make sure it returns back to baulk.
O'Sullivan 6-5 Ding
Ronnie hits the front again and spends the pause playing with his tip.
O'Sullivan 5-5 Ding (69-6)
Yup, this was as inevitable as you could see Ding feared. Both players are playing pretty well, but Ronnie looks the stronger so far this evening - and probably has another gear or two too.
O'Sullivan 5-5 Ding (41-6)
Ronnie plays a poor positional shot and misses with the rest to left corner - he doesn't like his effort, at all, letting the rest drop to the table. But it doesn't matter, because Ding leaves a red on the lip of right corner when he was decently-placed to steal the frame, and instead will expect to go behind again.
O'Sullivan 5-5 Ding (25-0)
This is boiling really nicely. Ronnie quickly gets in and builds a lead.
O'Sullivan 5-5 Ding
Very quickly, Ronnie concedes. Ding is in the session, and this is boiling nicely.
O'Sullivan 5-4 Ding (2-56)
Confidently and methodically, Ding accumulates, sinks everything into making sure frame-ball goes down, then he shoves the pink away from potential snookers and Ronnie returns to the table needing one.
O'Sullivan 5-4 Ding (2-29)
Ding is so precise in the balls but as I type that he's a little tame in his stroke so is higher on the next red than anticipated; it makes no difference, he plays it beautifully.
O'Sullivan 5-4 Ding (2-4)
Again, Ronnie's in with a red then a snooker but this time, Ding gets out of trouble and misses a red taken on as a shot to nowt. And when he does get in to left corner, he eyes up a long blue and Angles reveals he was practising those this morning, over and over, for a situation such as this. Er, he doesn't even get close, and now it's Ding at the table potting balls.
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O'Sullivan sportsmanship prompts ovation from fans over foul in final
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'We're not like Premier League footballers' - O'Sullivan on snooker players being 'different breed'
O'Sullivan 5-4 Ding
No ton, just 84 and the frame. TMNTPETPUAC seems to have recovered from losing his 4-1 lead in the second half of the afternoon.
O'Sullivan 4-4 Ding (61-0)
Ronnie secures the frame and we learn this is his 67th ranking final - he's seeking his 42nd title. If he gets in front again, Ding will struggle to haul him back with the line is in sight, but Ding is also capable of reeling off telling contributions.
O'Sullivan 4-4 Ding (44-0)
A fine recovery blue keeps the run going, Angles noting that Ronnie is able to play "off-the-cuff snooker" on the biggest stages and when others can't; in a sense, the sportsperson of whom he most reminds me is Magnus Carlsen, or perhaps Sugar Ray Leonard. He's looking very very good here.
O'Sullivan 4-4 Ding (26-0)
Ding cannot! Missing a long pot, he leaves a thin cut, and this has gone just as planned: he's up the business end, plotting. If he wins tonight, he'll have won this competition more than anyone has won any major - he and Stephen Hendry have seven worlds - and Ronnie has seven Masters' too, so in that eventuality, the congruence will be ruined (at least until he has eight of everything). He's worked this opportunity nicely, but the black was and remains occupied.
O'Sullivan 4-4 Ding (5-0)
Ronnie misses a red and leaves nothing, the tension in the arena palpable, then sinks one to left-middle after 421 unanswered points for Ding. Then, after a green and a further red, he nuzzles up to the former and invites Ding to get everything safe.
Away we go!
Bring it on!
Our boyz baize!
Ronnie speaks
He reckons given how he played, 4-4 was a good result for him this afternoon, and he stole a couple of frames; if he's to play well tonight, he's to play well. He shares that, after feeling a tickle, he's "on the lozenges," but isn't too bad., so good news there.
Ding
He's been so good for the game, and it's such a joy every time he wins. He's also one of the players to whom Ronnie can tolerate losing because of how purely he plays the game, but this is a final: if he's going to win, he'll have to play well.
Ach
Ronnie, apparently, is under the weather - the York lurgy strikes again. Let's hope Dr Snooker sorts him out once he arrives into the arena.
Radzi's wearing a syoot
This must be important.
We don't need to set this one up do we?
Ronnie O'Sullivan is bidding to become, at 47, the oldest winner of this trophy - he's already the youngest. Ding, meanwhile, has won this thrice, nilled Ronnie in last season's last eight, and having four of five before the end of session will be feeling the better; his opponent will feel he almost had it won once, now he has to go again.
Evening all and welcome to our staggering denouement
Mates! I cannot wait!
That's it for now
Right, that's all for now, with the afternoon session coming to a close. It's all level at 4-4 between Ronnie O'Sullivan and Ding Junhui, and there has been some brilliant snooker on show at the York Barbican.
They'll be back on in a little over two hours, so make sure to join us. Catch you later!
Fantastic sportsmanship
That faff over the rest-bridge-rest in frame six ultimately resulted in Ding going on to win the frame, though that was only after Ronnie owned up to a foul, which the ref may or may not have spotted.
O'Sullivan sportsmanship prompts ovation from fans over foul in final
What's on the line?
So, at 7pm GMT these two will do battle again, and it's essentially become a race-to-six.
That couple of hours will allow the duo to rest up and reset - and each of them will know that a fast start is crucial.
Ronnie is hunting a record-extending eighth UK title, while Ding is after his fourth triumph at the event. There's also the small matter of the £250,000 prize money.
Man on a mission
O'Sullivan looked like he could be running away with it when he was 4-1 up after the interval, but Ding has reeled off three straight frames.
It leaves the match perfectly poised for when it resumes later on today.
O'Sullivan 4-4 Ding
What a final this is proving to be! Ding was 3-0 down with just over half-an-hour played, but after the first interval, he has hit back to restore parity at the end of the afternoon session.
O'Sullivan 4-3 Ding (0-76)
A fluke of a self-snooker has Ding frustrated, but it matters not, as Ronnie concedes the frame. It's all square!
O'Sullivan 4-3 Ding (0-71)
Rather hit and hope from Ronnie, but it hasn't left an easy shot on for Ding, and he can't nail in a loose red at the far end of the table, which would have been frame ball.
Ronnie goes for a fine cut into the top-left pocket, which falls short. Ding weighs up his options, before going for a long-range plant which just misses... But then O'Sullivan leaves it open, and Ding is given a simple pot to wrap things up.
O'Sullivan 4-3 Ding (0-70)
Ding has been simply brilliant in these last few frames, and this break has been exquisite.
But, would you believe it? Just as parity was in sight, he leaves the cue ball right up against a red, and he has to play safe off the black. So frustrating, but Ronnie has a lot to do!
O'Sullivan 4-3 Ding (0-38)
Ding draws first blood in this frame, and he develops nicely around the black before then blasting through the bunch.
That leaves him with the tightest of angles off the black, and using the rest, he nails that recovery pot.
Ronnie mentioned how Ding, at his best, goes into auto-pilot; that has certainly been the case since the interval.
O'Sullivan 4-3 Ding (0-0)
Ding goes for another long-range effort, but this time can't quite get it right. The attacking intent from the three-time champion since the interval has been fantastic to see.
O'Sullivan 4-3 Ding
What a match we have on our hands at the Barbican. It's 4-3 to Ronnie with one frame left in this session.
O'Sullivan 4-2 Ding (0-115)
Oooooh! Ding's run very nearly came to an end there, as he and the crowd held their breaths as the blue trickled towards centre-left, finally dropping in after an agonising wait.
Ding then sinks frame ball with a brilliant cut that breaks up the remaining reds, and he's right back in this final! Now, it's a case of seeing if he can get the first century break of this match, and his 12th of the tournament.
The last red goes to the middle-right, and the blue follows in to bring up that ton! The pink doesn't drop, but a huge clearance of 114 has him within one frame of the Rocket.
O'Sullivan 4-2 Ding (0-58)
Another fantastic long-range pot from Ding, this time into the opposite corner. This time he held onto the black, and he bounces off that to break up the bunch with intent.
The reds look really promising, and he develops them excellently while working off the black, and he surpasses a half-century in no time. This is looking good!
O'Sullivan 4-2 Ding (0-1)
The long potting in this final - from both players - has been absolutely superb! And there's just been another cracker from Ding, who gets going in this frame by crisply sinking the first red into the bottom-left corner.
Ding's crazy combo
Here's that brilliant red-snooker combo from Ding in frame five, though of course Ronnie did recover to go on and win it.
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'Breathtaking' - Ding keeps himself in UK Championship final with long red
O'Sullivan 4-2 Ding
A nod of the head from Ronnie as he concedes the frame. It's 4-2 in the UK Championship final, and what a final it is so far!
Two frames left of the afternoon session, then.
O'Sullivan 4-1 Ding (19-71)
Ding does the rest, moving into an unassailable lead to fully capitalise on that foul from Ronnie.
O'Sullivan 4-1 Ding (19-26)
Ding is presented with exactly the same scenario, to the humour of the crowd. But he composes himself, steadies his breath, and then nails the pot into the bottom-right corner.
O'Sullivan 4-1 Ding (19-25)
Well, that's not something you see every day!
After trying out several different leans, and then settling for a rest on top of the bridge, to try and get over an awkward red, Ronnie admits to brushing the red. An excellent show of sportsmanship.
O'Sullivan 4-1 Ding (7-21)
Ding can't get going, with some more poor positional shots depriving him of the chance to build a decent contribution.
O'Sullivan 4-1 Ding (7-15)
How's your luck??
Ronnie looked to have expertly split the bunch by cannoning off the black, but one of the top reds rolls into the centre-right pocket. The ref didn't spot it, but Ronnie was back in his seat already, and the points go to Ding, who then plays a rather bizarre shot that merely opens matters up more.
Ronnie is quickly back to the table, but an attempted double comes to nothing.
O'Sullivan 4-1 Ding (0-8)
Ronnie breaks off in frame six, though he leaves an opportunity open for Ding. The world No.17 gets the long pot spot on, though he overscrews on the black, leaving him with little on but an ambitious attempt to slice a loose red into the middle-right pocket.
That was a reckless shot, and he could be made to pay.
O'Sullivan 4-1 Ding
That moment of magic from Ding, where he hammered in a long red and then snookered Ronnie behind the yellow, put the frame in his hands, but the Rocket cannot be kept down in this final, and he has restored his three-frame lead at the Barbican.
Three frames left in this afternoon session.
O'Sullivan 3-1 Ding (60-49)
The Rocket gets a chance! Ding can't take advantage, and he's left the yellow open!
Ronnie drills it home, follows up with the green and then the brown. He stuns the blue into centre-left, and rolls all the way up the table to cut the pink into the top-right. Job done!
O'Sullivan 3-1 Ding (40-49)
Foul! Groans from the crowd as the cue ball trickles around the table before going in-off, dropping into the top-left corner. Could that be a costly slip up from Ronnie?
O'Sullivan 3-1 Ding (40-45)
Ronnie fouls, but Ding doesn't make him play again, with a red on into the bottom-left corner. That drops in, and is followed by the black, then the penultimate red into the middle-left.
Black-red-black is the next trio of balls to sink, then it's onto the colours.The yellow is extremely tricky, with Ding having nestled right behind it, so he has to settle for a safety. Can Ronnie pull something out of the bag?
O'Sullivan 3-1 Ding (40-17)
What a shot! Ding turns the tables with an inspired long pot, which he then follows up with a snooker, nestling the cue ball right behind the yellow. Now the pressure is on Ronnie's shoulders!
O'Sullivan 3-1 Ding (40-16)
Ronnie comes through that mini tactical exchange and manages to get into some flow, with a contribution of 24 to put Ding on the back foot. A series of brilliant safety shots from the seven-time world champion then keeps the pressure on.
O'Sullivan 3-1 Ding (16-16)
Ding saw a half-chance on a red into the bottom-left, but he can't quite get it right. Ronnie spots a red that cuts into the opposite pocket, and that's one he lands, though he can't build anything more than a single point.
O'Sullivan 3-1 Ding (15-16)
A full-ball cannon off the blue and into the yellow leaves Ronnie frustrated, and having to settle for a safety, which he plays well.
O'Sullivan 3-1 Ding (1-16)
Ding nails a long pot into the bottom-right corner, and rotates back to sink the black into the same pocket. He comes up for the pink, with the black now on the brown spot due to a cluster of reds hanging over its original position, which has just made matters that much more complicated for the world No.17.
However, Ding's next red opens up the pink spot, so a routine pot of the black would really open things up. But... Oh dear! Another dreadful miss from Ding, with the black rattling away off the jaws. That's so sloppy from the three-time UK champion.
O'Sullivan 3-1 Ding (1-0)
Ronnie takes the lead, but he's unable to get a run going, so Ding is back up.
Back to it
Ding gets the second mini-session of this best-of-19 UK Champs final under way.
Breaking news
We have news from the 2024 Masters to bring you, with the draw having been made.
And it means Ronnie - should he win today - will then go up against Ding again in his first match. That tournament takes place at the Alexandra Palace next month.
But now, it's back to the matter at hand...
Top class
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‘Superbly cued’ – Ding impresses with ‘brilliant’ long red in UK Championship final
What records can O'Sullivan set?
At the age of 47, O'Sullivan would simultaneously become the oldest and younger winner of the coveted tournament if he claims the £250,000 first prize and a record-extending eighth UK title triumph.
Welsh icon Doug Mountjoy has held the record for 35 years since his celebrated success at the age of 46 in 1988 when he overcame Stephen Hendry 16-12 at the Preston Guild Hall.
O'Sullivan is also chasing a ground-breaking 40th ranking title success after becoming the youngest winner of the UK title when he triumphed at the age of 17 with a landmark 10-6 win against Hendry in Preston in 1993.
Ronnie's double
The shot of the match so far has to be that exquisite double from Ronnie as he snuck in to steal the second frame.
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'In all the way' - O'Sullivan pots superb double in fast start to UK Championship final
O'Sullivan 3-1 Ding
A vital frame win for Ding, who gets off the mark as we go into the interval at the Barbican. Some brilliant snooker on show so far!
O'Sullivan 3-0 Ding (31-99)
This time, Ding can take advantage, and it's a Ronnie slip-up that proves costly.
We've raced through the first four frames of this eight-frame afternoon session in York, and Ding gets himself on the board heading into the interval with an 89 clearance.
O'Sullivan 3-0 Ding (31-10)
After a tactical tussle, a miss from Ding on a long pot - and a double-kiss off the red to boot - opens the door for Ronnie.
He picks off the loose reds first, but when he comes to breaking up the bunch, he just can't cut the next red into the middle-left, and can Ding finally drag himself into this match now?
O'Sullivan 3-0 Ding (0-10)
Ding builds up a brief run before a sloppy shot means he has to settle for a safety. Ronnie gets lucky with his next attempt, with the cue ball almost going in-off, but he gets away with it.
White: UK Champ final to be 'most-watched ever'
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White expects UK Championship final to be 'most watched snooker match ever'
O'Sullivan 3-0 Ding
A brutal clearance of 91 from Ronnie. Ding needs to respond now!
O'Sullivan 2-0 Ding (91-38)
It's emphatic stuff from Ronnie, who has settled into this contest in no time.
Two of the last three reds are in somewhat awkward spots, but the first one goes in with the minimum of fuss after a fantastic positional shot, and then the last one drops in with the help of the rest.
A nudge off the blue sets Ronnie up nicely to go onto the brown, and then it's a case of just cruising through the colours. In a little over half-an-hour, O'Sullivan is well on his way with a three-frame lead.
O'Sullivan 2-0 Ding (0-38)
For Ding, it has to be a case of bouncing back as quickly as possible. There's a long, long way to go in this final, but he cannot afford to let Ronnie build up a head of steam.
He makes a decent start in frame three, building a promising contribution, but then... An overcut on the black gifts Ronnie another opportunity.
O'Sullivan 2-0 Ding
Just one mistake from Ding, but against Ronnie, that's one mistake too many. The world No.1 takes a two-frame lead!
O'Sullivan 1-0 Ding (71-63)
Huge! Gutting for Ding, but Ronnie has snuck in to steal that frame in style.
O'Sullivan 1-0 Ding (37-63)
Ronnie had plenty of time to ponder how he would lodge a counter in this frame should he get the chance, and that chance has certainly come.
The seven-time UK champ picks his way through the loose reds. The last one is a tricky one against the cushion, and he has to go for the double... which he nails! Incredible stuff!
O'Sullivan 1-0 Ding (0-63)
Ding is a star back home in China, but he's always well-backed at the Barbican, where his best snooker seems to come out.
The 36-year-old was described by Ronnie as "the best break-builder I've ever seen", and he has shown that quality in this frame, keeping everything nice and tight as he develops the reds.
But... well, is that the curse of the commentator? When he was on the cusp of clinching the frame, the pink clips off the jaw of the middle-right pocket. Can Ronnie capitalise?
O'Sullivan 1-0 Ding (0-22)
An excellent long pot from Ding, this time, gets the world No.17 rolling in frame two.
He develops nicely around the black and then comes back in for the blue, which he expertly cannons off to break up the bunch. Can Ding race away with this frame?
O'Sullivan 1-0 Ding
The Rocket goes ahead. A break of 71 getting the job done in the first frame. Quality snooker!
O'Sullivan 0-0 Ding (96-0)
This time, Ronnie has got into the swing of things, with those poor positional shots from the first two visits not present this time around.
A neat cut on the blue sets up frame ball for the next red, which the world No.1 nails into the bottom-left. Now it's just a case of how much Ronnie - who turns 48 on Tuesday - can build up this break.
He feels he has been patchy this week, but there's been no sign of patchiness here!
O'Sullivan 0-0 Ding (25-0)
Another short visit to the table for Ronnie, who chips in a further 11, but crucially he's not letting Ding get any sighters.
O'Sullivan 0-0 Ding (14-0)
No time wasted from Ronnie, whose long game has been consistent through this week and is on point again as he nails a pot into the bottom-left.
That enables him to get straight onto the red and develop the loose reds around the bunch, though an unfortunate cannon off the second black leaves him with a tricky shot that clips off the jaws, and so comes to an end his first visit.
Up and running
Ding breaks off, and away we go!
Here we go!
The time is now! Ding makes his way into the arena first, followed by Ronnie, to huge adulation from the packed-to-capacity crowd.
We'll have eight frames played in this first session.
Ding's happy place
Ding has won 14 major ranking titles, and three of them have come at the UK Championship.
He loves it at the Barbican, that's for sure!
Just have fun with it
Ronnie doesn't feel he has been at his very best this week, but that doesn't mean he has to be down in the dumps.
"Just trying to enjoy it, enjoy my time when I'm away," he said. "I've enjoyed my week, even though the snooker's been a bit patchy, you can still have fun with it."
The best I've ever seen
Ronnie is full of respect for today's opponent, that much is clear. They've had a fine relationship through the years, especially when Ronnie consoled Ding after the 2007 Masters final.
"He's a quality player Ding. He's on autopilot a lot of the time, getting through the matches efficiently. He plays the game in the right way, he's the best break-builder I've ever seen to be honest," Ronnie told Eurosport.
Chocolate, crisps and a can of coke
Asked by Eurosport how he'll celebrate should he win an eighth UK title, Ronnie replied: "Just a couple of Snickers bars, a packet of crisps and a Diet Coke on the motorway on the way home. That's one of my favourite things to do after a few days away on the road - I just dive into a Snickers, bag of cheese and onion and a Diet Coke, hits the spot perfectly."
It's the simple things in life!
Ding no pushover
There was the tantalising prospect of an O'Sullivan-Trump final, but world No.2 Judd couldn't overcome Ding in yesterday's semi.
Ding is into his fifth UK Championship final, and today's clash sees the two youngest UK finalists go head-to-head. Ding was 18 when he reached a showpiece match at this event for the first time, while Ronnie was just 17.
Ronnie's shot at history
Ronnie has been in typically dry form in front of the media this week, admitting he is "looking forward to a break" after today's final, having earlier in the week claimed he is getting fed up of snooker. Yet the world No.1 is now just one win away from a record-extending eighth UK Championship title.
Indeed, he would also be the oldest player - at 47 - to win the tournament.
Hello!
Are you sitting comfortably? We've got live coverage of the UK Championship final to come today, as the great Ronnie O'Sullivan takes on Ding Junhui at the York Barbican.
It's a best-of-19 match, and will be played over two sessions. So stick right here for all the action as it happens.
Ronnie O'Sullivan likely to skip Scottish Open - 'Have to monitor my schedule'
Ronnie O’Sullivan has revealed that he will “probably miss” the Scottish Open in favour of preparing for an exhibition event in Macau.
The Rocket was speaking in the Eurosport studio after sealing his place in the final of the UK Championship with a 6-2 win over Hossein Vafaei.
The world No. 1 admits he is "looking forward to a break" after Sunday's final and intends to skip the last Home Nations Series event of the year, with a lucrative exhibition in Macau event taking place just days after the final in Edinburgh.
The Macau exhibition was originally due to be held in October but was postponed after it clashed with the Northern Ireland Open.
Five players, including five-time world champion Mark Selby and current world champion Luca Brecel, had intended to miss the event in Belfast and instead play in Macau.
Read the full story here.
'I feel as fresh as a daisy' - What records can O'Sullivan set in UK Championship final?
Ronnie O'Sullivan is on course to set several new records when he contests the 47th UK Championship final against Ding Junhui at the York Barbican on Sunday.
O'Sullivan celebrates his 48th birthday on Tuesday, but at the age of 47 would simultaneously become the oldest and younger winner of the coveted tournament if he claims the £250,000 first prize and a record-extending eighth UK title triumph.
Welsh icon Doug Mountjoy has held the record for 35 years since his celebrated success at the age of 46 in 1988 when he overcame Stephen Hendry 16-12 at the Preston Guild Hall.
World No. 1 O'Sullivan is also chasing a ground-breaking 40th ranking title success after becoming the youngest winner of the UK title when he triumphed at the age of 17 with a landmark 10-6 win against Hendry in Preston in 1993.
“I’m just hanging around, so people don’t get as good a career as me,” O’Sullivan told reporters after his 6-2 win over Hossein Vafaei in the semi-finals.
“If I could stop [Mark] Selby winning a few and Judd [Trump] winning a few, and Ding and [Neil] Robertson winning a few – just ruin their careers a little bit – that would be great.
"Sometimes that’s just a nice motivation to play.”
Read the full story here.
UK Championship schedule Sunday, December 3
1pm
Ding Junhui v Ronnie O'Sullivan
7pm
Ding Junhui v Ronnie O'Sullivan
- -
Stream top snooker action, including the UK Championship, live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com
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