Ronnie O'Sullivan is champion of the world for the second time after
out-classing rank outsider Graeme Dott to win the Embassy crown at the Crucible
Theatre.
The Rocket had gone into the final session holding a 16-8 lead - just two
frames away from the title - after demolishing Dott 7-1 in the afternoon.
And the action was all over in barely 20 minutes as O'Sullivan began with a 92
break in frame 25 and then made sure of victory with two runs of 33.
The nightmare opening to the final for The Rocket, who lost the first five
frames. was forgotten as he added to his 2001 triumph.
Even the appearance of a male streaker around the table before the final spell
of action began did not put off O'Sullivan who has been fully focused throughout
the second week of the tournament.
He has given much of the credit for that to the presence of six-times world
champion Ray Reardon who has acted as his mentor during the competition.
In addition to the £250,000 first prize, O'Sullivan has also regained the
number one spot in the rankings thanks to his semi-final win over Stephen
Hendry.
O'Sullivan did not quite match the consistent brilliance of that performance
against rank outsider Dott who began the competition at odds of 200-1.
He maintains that the best is still to come from him as he constantly strives
to reach perfection - but Dott was made to pay heavily every time he was amongst
the balls.
For Dott there was the consolation of a cheque for £125,000 and regaining his
place back in the top 16 - something that must have seemed a million miles away
when he smashed his cue in frustration in January.
O'Sullivan began the day with the match still in the balance as he was only
holding a narrow 9-7 advantage.
But he reeled off a series of impressive breaks to claim seven of the eight
frames in the afternoon as Dott failed to repeat his standards of the opening
day.
It was all so easy for the 28-year-old from Chigwell as Dott's safety play was
not as tight with his potting game also deserting him.
The early exchanges of the opening frame of the day had been tentative, and
there was a bout of safety play lasting nearly 10 minutes before O'Sullivan took
advantage of a red hanging over the yellow pocket.
The Rocket compiled 41 before playing safe and another run of 30 was
sufficient to seal the frame.
For the first time it looked as if Dott was beginning to run out of steam
after his exertions.
He made a hash of an attempted safety shot to let O'Sullivan in for what
quickly became a realistic chance for a 147.
O'Sullivan landed the first five reds and blacks and the balls were all in the
open but inexplicably he missed a simple red.
Dott was unable to take advantage as he missed the same ball into the opposite
black pocket and a 45 from O'Sullivan extended his advantage to 11-7.
But Dott pulled himself together in the next with an excellent break of 106 -
the highest break of the match - to show O'Sullivan that he should not be
totally written off.
It was only his second ton of the championship compared with the 13 notched up
by O'Sullivan.
Dott pulled out a couple of superb long reds in the final frame before the
mid-session interval, the second of which started him off on a run of 29.
But then he missed a straightforward black off its spot and O'Sullivan needed
no second invitation to clear up with 65 - his seventh 50-plus break of the
final.
Dott found it difficult to contain O'Sullivan when the players returned after
the interval and an 85 clearance, started with a superb red down the rail, set
the tone.
A 62 was sufficient to win frame 22, and runs of 46 and 32 took the next out
of the reach of the Dott - and then O'Sullivan completed a post-interval
whitewash with a 61.