After winning Sunday’s UK Championship final, Ronnie O’Sullivan (picture) is now looking ahead to the defence of his Masters title next month.
The Rocket edged out Judd Trump 10-9 in one of snooker’s all-time classic matches to win his fifth UK title and 15th Triple Crown event in all. He also made a stunning 147 maximum break during the tournament in York.
I’ve had to reinvent my game in many ways to compete in the new era of snooker
And fans will have another chance to see O’Sullivan at Alexandra Palace in London next month, with snooker’s most prestigious invitation event running from January 11 to 18.
O’Sullivan plays his first match on Tuesday, January 13, at 1pm against Ricky Walden.
Last year he met Walden in the quarter-finals and scored a record 556 unanswered points, before going on to beat Mark Selby 10-4 in the final to take the trophy and £200,000 top prize.
O’Sullivan revealed that the challenge of snooker’s next generation of players has forced him to adapt.
“I’ve had to reinvent my game in many ways to compete in the new era of snooker,” said the 39-year-old.
“I felt that I wasn’t a powerful enough player. I had to change my technique in order to allow me to play certain shots which the modern player can. I watched what they do and how they do it, and realised I need to learn from them.
“Players like Judd Trump, Mark Selby, Neil Robertson and Ding Junhui, once they get confidence they can dominate the table.
“They play a very attacking and very aggressive game.
“I can see Judd being the leading player in years to come, although the others are very tough competitors.
“I don’t want to stop now because I’m enjoying it, but I don’t want another match like that final against Judd because it took a lot out of me.
“It has been a fantastic calendar year for me and a great start to this season. I can’t wait for the Masters now.”
Ding ranked no.1
Meanwhile, China’s Ding Junhui has become the first Asian player to reach the top of the world snooker rankings.
The 27-year-old, who won five titles in the 2013-14 season, is the 11th world number one since the rankings started in 1976.