Snooker legend becomes oldest-ever winner of UK Championship with victory over……

Thirty years after he was crowned the youngest winner of the UK Championship, evergreen Ronnie O’Sullivan made more history on Sunday night by also becoming the oldest.

It was in this tournament in 1993 that the remarkable Rocket stunned Stephen Hendry to claim his first ranking title aged just 17. But O’Sullivan is now the Grand Old Duke of York after beating Ding Junhui 10-7, two days before his 48th birthday, to eclipse Doug Mountjoy, who won in 1988 at the age of 46.

This was a record-extending eighth UK Championship trophy for O’Sullivan, as well as a 22th Triple Crown triumph and a 40th ranking title – albeit his first since claiming his seventh World Championship at the Crucible 19 months ago.

Having said he was ‘just motivated by cash’ after his semi-final win over Hossein Vafaei, this victory saw him pocket a healthy cheque for £250,000. And O’Sullivan’s age-defying exploits in York also means he will remain as world No1 ahead of snooker’s next Triple Crown event, the Masters next month.

‘It’s bonkers to still be playing and winning tournaments at nearly 48,’ admitted O’Sullivan, who won the final three frames against Ding and sealed victory with a break of 129.

‘It’s great to win, but it’s not the same excitement as years ago when I was winning my first titles and you’re buzzing. I get more of a buzz now going for a run or having porridge for breakfast with my mate.’

O’Sullivan has been selective in the tournaments he has entered of late. This was only his second appearance on these shores this season. Yet it felt almost inevitable that he would triumph at the Barbican, such is the way he had dominated the build-up following the release of his Amazon Prime documentary, The Edge of Everything.

That film heavily features his famous first UK title at the Preston Guild Hall in 1993. It came just a year after his father was jailed for

“Winning is fantastic, but the thrill I felt years ago when I was taking home my first titles and you were ecstatic has faded.” Going for a run or having porridge for breakfast with a friend gives me more of a buzz these days.

O’Sullivan has recently only competed in a limited number of tournaments. This season, this was only his second visit to these beaches. However, the way he had dominated the build-up after the release of his Amazon Prime documentary, The Edge of Everything, made it feel all but certain that he would win at the Barbican.

His well-known 1993 Preston Guild Hall debut as a UK title is prominently featured in that movie. It happened only a year following his father’s imprisonment for