Maplin UK Championship

O'SULLIVAN LOVES SNOOKER SHOWTIME
16/12/2007 22:18:00

Ronnie O'Sullivan said that he hopes he is creating a legac y of thrilling snooker after winning the Maplin UK Championship.
The Rocket delighted the Telford crowd with a demonstration of superb break-building in a 10-2 defeat of Stephen Maguire to claim his fourth UK title.
"Snooker is about showtime to me, it's all about the big matches," said the 32-year-old from Chigwell. "I love this tournament, the Masters the World and the Premier League, those are the ones I want to do well in.

"The crowds here have been great all week and they've given me so much support. I think I give a lot to people with the way I play, I bring excitement and maybe that's as good as seven world titles.

"I think I'm unique in the way I attack the game with speed. It's like if I turn on the TV and Tiger Woods is playing, I'll watch it because I wonder what he's going to do. It's a great honour for me to give that kind of joy."

As for his performance today, O'Sullivan said: "I played great, I capitalised whenever Stephen broke down on 20 or 30. I got into a rhythm, I scored well and put him in trouble. I think I've stumbled on a consistency that I haven't felt for about 14 years.

"There was pressure on every stroke because I knew that Stephen would put me away if I made mistakes. Even at 8-0 I kept my brain in gear and I knew I had to play the right way to win and be strong until the end.

"I think experience was the difference today. Stephen will take a lot from this and come back stronger. I don't want to keep playing him over the next few years because he worries the life out of me, he'll send me to an early grave."

O'Sullivan, who has seemed completely focussed this week, touched on the reason behind his current stability on and off the table. "The way I deal with depression is through running, it gives me a social life and makes me feel good," he said.

"I have to put my health first because I'm in the public eye and people expect a lot of me, which can be hard."

Finally, the charismatic cueman mentioned his partner Jo and 22-month-old daughter Lily, who joined him in the arena to celebrate. "Success is all the better when you can share it with your family."

Maguire, who failed in his bid to become the 11th player to win back-to-back ranking titles, said: "After I went 4-0 down I was just trying my hardest to get a frame on the board, because the way it was going and the way I felt, I was thinking about the whitewash.

"So at 8-0 I just tried to come back refreshed and I was relieved to win a frame. I had a couple of chances early on in the match, I could have been 2-2 instead of 4-0 down but I missed two reds to a middle pocket and you don't get second chances against Ronnie.

"This has woken me up because I need to improve to get to that standard. At least I know that now. I'm going in the right direction and moving up the rankings.

"Ronnie was very solid, even at 8-1 he was playing the right shots. I rate Hendry and Davis as the best players because they have won the most titles, but if Ronnie can stay focussed he could win as many."