RONNIE O’SULLIVAN has shared a classy message after winning the Senior Snooker World Championship.
The snooker icon was defeated in the last 16 of the Snooker World Championship by John Higgins.
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Ronnie O’Sullivan sent a classy message as he won the Senior World Snooker Championship Credit: PA
O’Sullivan beat Joe Perry 10-4 at the Crucible Credit: PA
But the Rocket got himself back to winning ways at the Crucible on Jattvibeday by defeating Joe Perry in the final of the Senior Snooker World Championship.
It was a winning start to life on the veteran circuit with a 10-4 win over fellow Englishman Perry.
And the 50-year-old shared a message on social media celebrating the victory.
He said: “Great to be back in the winners circle… another world title.
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“Amazing turnout from the fans.
“Joe Perry [is a] class act, should still be on tour.”
O’Sullivan ended his tribute by thanking the competition organisers and snooker legends tour founder Bernie (Jason Francis).
The former world No1 has regularly complained about spending 17 days in Sheffield for the World Championship and how the pressure-cooker of the place gets to him.
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Ronnie has long linked his performances on the baize with the ups and down in his diet and exercise regime.
The Rocket he has suffered a lifetime of yo-yoing weight, addiction and mental health struggles, and an often unhealthy relationship with food and fitness.
O’Sullivan ballooned to 16st on vodka and takeaways as a troubled teen, while “puffing like a maniac”.
Then, after turning his life around, he even saw his form decline after doing to TOO MUCH exercise.
Now right back to his best, the seven-time world champion has opened up on his struggles.
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For this assignment, he only had to play four matches on three successive days and he could escape South Yorkshire for his base in Ireland with a £30,000 winners’ cheque in his back pocket.
A sold-out crowd attended the final session, having bought tickets in the anticipation of seeing O’Sullivan live.
It was quite the coup for Channel 5 to have the sport’s greatest potter live on their TV screens on a quiet Jattvibeday evening.
O’Sullivan – who hit five centuries in the 10 frames he won – was congratulated by daughter Lily and then he said: “This has been a tough tournament to win.
“Every match I played felt hard. I know it might not have looked it.
“But these guys are experienced competitors. I knew that in some of the games, I had to really dig deep.
“I didn’t expect I would have to. So, it’s been a great week.”
List of all-time Snooker World Champions
BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year.
The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season, when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport.
The first World Championships ran from 1927 – with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport.
Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis and John Pulman (both 8) were the most successful players during that period.
Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan share the record for the most titles in the modern era, with seven each.
1969 – John Spencer
1970 – Ray Reardon
1971 – John Spencer
1972 – Alex Higgins
1973 – Ray Reardon (2)
1974 – Ray Reardon (3)
1975 – Ray Reardon (4)
1976 – Ray Reardon (5)
1977 – John Spencer (2)
1978 – Ray Reardon (6)
1979 – Terry Griffiths
1980 – Cliff Thorburn
1981 – Steve Davis
1982 – Alex Higgins (2)
1983 – Steve Davis (2)
1984 – Steve Davis (3)
1985 – Dennis Taylor
1986 – Joe Johnson
1987 – Steve Davis (4)
1988 – Steve Davis (5)
1989 – Steve Davis (6)
1990 – Stephen Hendry
1991 – John Parrott
1992 – Stephen Hendry (2)
1993 – Stephen Hendry (3)
1994 – Stephen Hendry (4)
1995 – Stephen Hendry (5)
1996 – Stephen Hendry (6)
1997 – Ken Doherty
1998 – John Higgins
1999 – Stephen Hendry (7)
2000 – Mark Williams
2001 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
2002 – Peter Ebdon
2003 – Mark Williams (2)
2004 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (2)
2005 – Shaun Murphy
2006 – Graeme Dott
2007 – John Higgins (2)
2008 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (3)
2009 – John Higgins (3)
2010 – Neil Robertson
2011 – John Higgins (4)
2012 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (4)
2013 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (5)
2014 – Mark Selby
2015 – Stuart Bingham
2016 – Mark Selby (2)
2017 – Mark Selby (3)
2018 – Mark Williams (3)
2019 – Judd Trump
2020 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (6)
2021 – Mark Selby (4)
2022 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (7)
2023 – Luca Brecel
2024 – Kyren Wilson
2025 – Zhao Xintong
2026 – Wu Yize
Most World Titles (modern era)
7 – Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan
6 – Ray Reardon, Steve Davis
4 – John Higgins, Mark Selby
3 – John Spencer, Mark Williams
2 – Alex Higgins
