Neal Foulds pays tribute to snooker great Ronnie O'Sullivan after his eighth UK Championship win

He’s done it again. Just when you thought you’d seen it all, that Ronnie O’Sullivan had given snooker all he had to give, endless special moments and memorable Sunday nights, he’s gone and done it again.

Sunday was another special night in York, O’Sullivan’s eighth UK Championship victory, another outstanding achievement to add to the long list, just a few days before he celebrates his 48th birthday. We’ve run out of superlatives to describe the man, but we won’t tire of watching him.

I thought he had a chance at the start of the week. The draw had been kind to him and other than Robert Milkins, he managed to avoid top-16 ranked opponents throughout, with Ding Junhui having again come through qualifying this year. Even then, he would have been happier to face Ding in the final than a Judd Trump or Mark Selby, players who have much better records against O’Sullivan.

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But when pushed, by Milkins and by Zhou Yuelong when clearly a long way from his best in matches he might’ve lost, he found a way to win. And then when the big test came against Ding in the final, having been hauled back to 7-7, he played like we know he can. Like only O’Sullivan can.

Eight UK Championships not only extends his record in this particular event, it means he is also the only player to ever win a single Triple Crown event eight times. He’s won 22 Triple Crown titles in all, another record, and it would be madness to think he can’t win more. Another World Championship even.

Big-time O'Sullivan picking his moments

Sunday’s triumph was O’Sullivan’s first ranking title since the Crucible in the spring of 2022, and there’s no doubting that he now saves his best for the really big events.

I, like most fans, was disappointed he didn’t play in the Champion of Champions, but perhaps there’s method to some of his apparent madness. If he hadn’t have taken a break there, would he have been able to do what he did in York? We’ll never truly know, but when it comes to Ronnie O’Sullivan, it seems he knows best. It’s very hard to argue with the results.

My good friend and Eurosport colleague Jimmy White probably deserves a little bit of credit, too. He’s old friends with O’Sullivan from way back and in the run-up to the tournament, he had a quiet word in his ear and told him that number eight was his for the taking if he put in some practice and prepared well.

The running went out of the window, which he wouldn’t have liked, and he was at the venue every morning, bright and early to ensure he wasn’t disturbed, preparing hard for his matches. I know he’s never been a fan of using practice tables at the venues because they can get really busy, but by the time we arrived for work we got word that he’d already been and left, put in a shift while we were having breakfast. He was all business.

A lot is spoken about O’Sullivan's natural talent and how easy the game seems to come to him. But make no mistake, he’s worked hard to achieve all that he has and we saw so many different sides of O’Sullivan in York. You need many different things to be a champion, and O’Sullivan has them all. Having a wise, old friend who knows the game certainly helps, too.

Like I told him after the final, when he came to do his post-match interview with myself and Jimmy, O’Sullivan’s season is easy to map out from here. He’ll be one of the favourites for the Masters, a tournament he’s won seven times already, and then there's the hugely valuable Players Series which concludes with the revamped Tour Championship.

You can never be sure of what O’Sullivan will want to do, but his longevity in the sport is down in part to how well he’s managed himself and his schedule. I wouldn’t like to say how much we’ll see of him before Sheffield, but he’s taken the two biggest prizes of the season so far. He'll reckon he's plotted his path perfectly.

Ding back on song and earns O'Sullivan's respect

A word on Ding who played so well all week, and again in the final. It was terrific to see him back to his best, at a tournament that has very much become the focal point of his season. It’s hard to know where he’ll go from here – he didn’t do a great deal after losing in the final a year ago – but like O’Sullivan, we know he loves the big stage. Perhaps there’s a nice win in China waiting for him.

I’ve already touched upon the interview O’Sullivan did with us on Eurosport immediately after the final, and it was telling just how much respect he has for Ding. He rates him very highly and the way he plays the game, that perfect cue-ball control and an artistry that makes him a beautiful player to watch.

O’Sullivan was doing himself a disservice when suggesting Ding is the best positional player he’s ever seen. O’Sullivan is clearly the best there’s ever been in that department, but he’s never been one to blow his own trumpet and it’s clear just what high esteem he holds Ding in, both on and off the table.

The other big line to come out of the week was confirmation that the UK Championship will in fact be held in York again next year. There were lots of rumours suggesting that wasn’t going to be the case, but for now, any ideas about a move away from the Barbican have sensibly been put to bed.

York earns reprieve, but for how long?

That being said, I don’t at all think these big events are set in stone. Perhaps the Masters and Alexandra Palace are a safe bet for a good while yet, but whether we like it or not, I’m not confident that applies to York and Sheffield. It would be a great shame if these snooker cities lost those tournaments, but I fear that is the reality we are facing.

The crowds in Yorkshire are fantastic and one of my highlights from this year’s event was listening to the crowds and hearing the buzz as people were waiting in the cold to get into the venue for the action. It reminds you that these are snooker people who love the sport dearly. Superb venues and superb crowds.

After a tournament like the UK Championship, the Shoot Out, which starts on Wednesday, feels like a nice fit in the calendar. A little bit of light relief, good fun and a tournament that definitely has its place in the sport, for all you wouldn’t want it every week.

It’s been the springboard for the likes of Hossein Vafaei and Chris Wakelin in the last few years, so there is a brilliant opportunity for someone to earn a big pay day and set themselves up for the rest of the season and beyond.

As for that man O’Sullivan, he set himself up a long time ago. All that is left for him is to put the finishing touches to his legacy. He might have a way to go yet.