Ronnie O'Sullivan - another victory.
CHINA OPEN Click here for results Ronnie O'Sullivan's brilliant season got even better when he landed the China
Open title at Mission Hills in Shenzhen.
O'Sullivan handed out a 9-3 hammering to world number one Mark Williams to win
his third title of the campaign from just six tournaments.
The mercurial 25-year-old becomes only the seventh player, after Steve Davis,
Stephen Hendry, John Parrott, James Wattana, John Higgins and Williams to
successfully defend a world ranking title.
In clinching his ninth ranking event title he joins Jimmy White and Parrott in
joint fifth place on the all-time list - behind Hendry on 32, Davis, Higgins and
Williams.
It is just over seven years since O'Sullivan collected his first world ranking
title a week short of his 17th birthday at the 1993 UK Championship.
He won the British Open the following year, lifted the Asian Classic and
German Open trophies in 1996 and regained the UK title in 1997.
O'Sullivan, who beat Stephen Lee 9-2 to win the China Open 12 months ago, has
also won two Regal Scottish Open titles at Aberdeen, in 1998 and earlier this
year when he overwhelmed Williams 9-1 in the final.
His latest comprehensive victory over Williams takes his seasonal prize money
to £280,000 with a further nine events to come before the 2000/2001 campaign is
over.
O'Sullivan leapfrogs Higgins into second place in the provisional world
rankings, although he trails Williams by 12,385 points.
But the bare statistics are of no concern to O'Sullivan who has been a
troubled soul ever since his father was sentenced to life imprisonment for
murder in 1992.
On several occasions, this week included, he has spoken of his disillusionment
with the game, how he is not enjoying snooker and how he wants to think of
anything but the green baize.
So tormented was he in the summer that O'Sullivan checked into the Priory
rehabilitation centre in Roehampton to receive treatment for depression.
"I want to get home now because it's been tough for me this week," said
O'Sullivan.
"I was in a clinic six months ago being treated for depression, and snooker
is insignificant the way I've been feeling.
"I had to see a lot of doctors and I've been pulled away from all that
because I've been playing so much snooker for the past few months.
"My number one priority was to get my life in order, and snooker was
secondary. I wanted to get my family life back in order and be a treat to be
around because I haven't been for a long time.
"But I've been away at so many snooker events recently that I've been
separated from all that. I just want to get home and get myself in order."
When O'Sullivan emerged from treatment he immediately bounced back on the
table by winning the Champions Cup in Brighton. He also won the Regal Masters at
Motherwell in October and was runner-up to Williams in the Grand Prix.
But his latest victory has not ignited the spark of enthusiasm, which seems to
have gone missing in recent months.
"Winning the Champions Cup gave me a bit of self worth back, but since then
it's been tough to enjoy it."
O'Sullivan now has four weeks off before taking his place in England's team
for the Coalite Nations Cup at Reading.
Last year O'Sullivan was the star of the tournament, winning 12 of his 15
frames as England swept to the title.
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