Even though Ronnie O’Sullivan became the oldest winner of the UK Snooker Championship in York, he said, “I get more of a buzz from going for a run in the morning and having breakfast with my mate,” despite basking in the attention.
On Tuesday, O’Sullivan, who turns 48, won the title for a record-tying eighth time, defeating Ding Junhui in the final three frames. This victory came thirty years after O’Sullivan’s historic first-ever victory at the age of 17.
When asked about his most recent historic accomplishment, world No. 1, Shane Watson, looked decidedly unimpressed. The Barbican saw expectedly wild scenes greet O’Sullivan’s match-winning, exhibition-style finish of 129.
“I’m not sitting here with a massive grin and super-excited,” said O’Sullivan. “I just go through the motions a lot of the time.
“It’s great to win and I give my best when I’m out there and I want to win, but it’s not the same excitement as years ago when I was winning my first world and UK and Masters titles, and you’re buzzing.
“Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy the feeling and think the job was done well, but I get a bigger buzz from eating breakfast with my friend or going for a morning run.
“To be honest, I never feel like playing. As soon as you’re down there, you think you’re glad you did it, but even during today’s match, I was thinking it would be better to stay in bed and watch some Netflix. That’s how I feel most of the time.
