Ronnie O’Sullivan says it is “bonkers” to have won the UK Championship for an eighth time, 30 years on from his first triumph as a 17-year-old in 1993.
It was the Englishman’s 40th ranking title and his 22nd Triple Crown success since turning professional in 1992.
“I feel a more complete player now than ever,” O’Sullivan said.
“I’ve got better, I feel like I got better in many ways. I started off pretty raw. I was all right when I first turned pro and I lost my way. It’s bonkers to be still playing and winning tournaments at the age of 48.”
The seven-time world champion became the youngest winner of a ranking event with the first of his record eight UK titles – a 10-6 win over Stephen Hendry.
O’Sullivan’s latest victory saw him eclipse Doug Mountjoy to become the oldest winner of the UK title.
Welshman Mountjoy was 46 and enjoying a late-career revival in 1988 when he collected his second UK crown, also at Hendry’s expense.
Asked if he could have foretold his own longevity three decades ago, O’Sullivan, who has claimed almost every major record during an unprecedented spell at the top of snooker, added: “I’d have said, ‘You’re off your nut, you are crazy.'”
‘I don’t want to put a number on it’
Widely regarded as the greatest player of all time, O’Sullivan typically arrived at the York Barbican under the spotlight, with the release of his documentary coming amid a row with the game’s governing body that has cast doubt over his future on snooker’s main professional tour.
“I don’t know [how long I’ll continue],” said O’Sullivan, who will target an eighth Masters title in January. “I don’t really want to put a number on it.
“I think [I’ll continue] as long as my sponsors keep supporting me and I don’t fall off the tour. If I did fall off the tour it would be nice to get a wildcard off World Snooker to keep playing, but you never know, they might give me a knockback as usual.
“I just keep playing. As long as they want me to keep playing I’ll play. But they sent me a letter the other week saying they want me to consider my future on the tour, I don’t know what’s going through their heads at the moment.
“I’ll just keep potting balls and trying my best and hopefully sense prevails somewhere along the line.”
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