Ronnie O'Sullivan

You may have seen the famous clip of Diego Maradona's warm-up routine, from the second leg of Napoli's Uefa Cup semi-final against Bayern Munich in 1989: the ...

There is no one dominating the sport like he did, like Tiger Woods did.” It says something of the class of both men that Hendry was just as effusive about O’Sullivan. “No one does it better,” he said. And Hendry did all this despite never being a darling of the masses, like the Rocket or Whirlwind. We hear a lot of talk about the benefits of home advantage in sport but Hendry usually had the crowd against him – and worse. But the Scot was able to surpass it in 1994, beating White 18-17 in the final despite fracturing an elbow while going to the bathroom in the middle of the night earlier in the tournament. Back then Hendry could pot with the best of them and he was also blessed with a natural immunity to pressure. Perhaps the crucial moment came at 14-9 down as Hendry, with the cue ball in the jaws of the middle pocket, rolled in a brilliant brown. It is not just that Maradona pogos up and down with the ball seemingly glued to his head.

Judd Trump has set up an exciting conclusion to the World Championship, winning the Monday afternoon session to reduce the deficit against Ronnie ...

Trump surveyed the table and with three snookers required, decided to fold it. Trump efficiently cleared the table to produce a break of 59. He capitalised on a mistake from an O'Sullivan safety shot to open with 107.

O'Sullivan won 18-13 after dominating the evening session, earning a seventh world title to equal Stephen Hendry's record.

No player goes through a world championship triumph without one session to forget and in the heat of the moment on Monday afternoon when Trump threatened to push O’Sullivan all the way, it was easy to forget that was the first time The Rocket had wavered all tournament long. Trump needed a strong start in the evening but he did not get it. “He will go down to the best player of all-time,” he said. However, he won six of the eight frames available in the afternoon to reduce O’Sullivan’s cushion to three frames. At times O’Sullivan is so laid back about the magnitude of his achievements in the game that he is practically horizontal. But despite Judd Trump making everyone wonder if the impossible could really happen at one stage on Monday afternoon, the world championship ended in yet more history for Ronnie O’Sullivan: and this bit really means something.

Ronnie "Rocket" O'Sullivan equalled Stephen Hendry's record of seven world snooker titles in Sheffield on Monday but he has more in common with another ...

I couldn't deprive my dad of that." "I have a lot of trophies and I thought 'I am only going to put it in my suitcase, take it home and put it on the mantelpiece'," he told AFP. "I was getting so bored I had to do something, and needed a goal to get out of bed in the morning," he explained. Running eventually proved to be the cure. "I suppose it was a lot to deal with but at the time I didn't think anything of it," O'Sullivan said in 2016. "I was depressed because I'd stopped drinking and taking drugs, but I only drank and took drugs in the first place because I was depressed," he said in his 2013 autobiography "Running".

'Will never be a better player': GOAT wins seventh world title, 21 years after his first.

It’s an amazing achievement and he’s the best player of all time... He’s been the best player in this tournament by quite a distance. Trump was first in come the next frame and had the better of a safety exchange before an excellent break of 109 -- which broke the previous Crucible tournament record of 108 -- prolonged the contest. Sunday’s play had been notable for a row between O’Sullivan and referee Olivier Marteel -- an unusual flare-up in the normally sedate world of snooker. “I want to say massive congratulations to Ronnie,” he said. “The Crucible brings out the worst in me -- it’s probably not the best idea but we’ll probably go again next year!” - ‘Best player of all time’ - Trump added he had been up against the greatest player in snooker history.

Ronnie O'Sullivan, who won his first world title in 2001, broke the record previously held by Ray Reardon who won his sixth title at 45.

Hendry won all of his in the 1990s. Hendry was in the commentary box at the Crucible and said it was a privilege to share the record with O’Sullivan. O’Sullivan also has won a record seven titles at each of the Masters and the UK Championship, the other two so-called “majors” in snooker.

Ronnie O'Sullivan has claimed his seventh snooker world title, sharing an emotional moment with opponent Ju...

O'Sullivan's win ties Stephen Hendry for the most in snooker history, a moment that many thought would never come. "He's a great lad, and I didn't realise what he thought of me until then," he said. "I just never thought it would happen - I just gave him a big hug and I'm just sobbing in his arms, and he just said such lovely words," O'Sullivan said afterwards.

Ronnie O'Sullivan secured a record-equalling Crucible crown as he stamped out Judd Trump's resistance to win the World Championship for a seventh time.

But his challenge would end there as O’Sullivan delivered a trademark knock of 85 in the 31st frame to seal a five-frame victory, a seventh trophy and a £500,000 winner’s cheque. He produced another majestic long red at the start of the 30th frame before a series of smart pots bailed him out after he ran out of position. O’Sullivan broke down on 16 attempting a double of his own, but was soon allowed back to the table and another half-century, this time a 75, saw him move within a frame of the trophy. Trump returned from the interval in the knowledge he would have to win six frames without reply to win a second title. The 2019 champion was first on the scoreboard with a magnificent cross-double into the middle pocket, but his follow-up on the brown found the jaws as Trump continued to be allergic to potting anything that was not red. Those with tickets for the fourth session were likely wondering if they would get any snooker, with Trump needing to win three frames on Monday afternoon simply to force a finale.