Ronnie O’Sullivan fulfilled 30 years of destiny by equalling Stephen Hendry’s record seven titles at the Crucible. He came, he wobbled, he conquered again, and by beating Judd Trump 18-13 he became the oldest world champion in snooker history.
Even when you have won six times before, nerves abound. O’Sullivan was not immune to the mental and physical vagaries of using a stick to put colourful balls in the pockets of a large table. “This afternoon was probably the hardest session I’ve played since I played John Higgins in the final session here in 2001,” he said. “I froze and it was just a mad experience.”
The how is irrelevant now; all that matters is how many: seven. When the moment came, he gave Trump
