London, Jan 20 (IANS) Ronnie O’Sullivan beat fellow Englishman and defending champion Mark Selby 10-4 to win his fifth Masters snooker title at London’s Alexandra Palace Sunday.
The 38-year-old, also a five-time world champion, took a commanding 7-1 lead in the first session and went on to seal the victory at the night session despite a few late mistakes. The victory earned him a top prize of 200,000 pounds, reports Xinhua.
O’Sullivan conceded just seven frames during the tournament, beating Robert Milkins 6-1, Ricky Walden 6-0 and Stephen Maguire 6-2. He also set a world record in his victory over Walden, taking only 58 minutes and scoring 556 points without reply.
“It’s a great feeling,” said O’Sullivan. “I expected it to be 10-9 or 10-8 because Mark is such a competitor and there’s not much between us. He plays better when he’s behind and you’re never over the line against him until you pot the last ball.
“I’ve got five World, five Masters and four UKs now and I never dreamed I would do this well. It’s just nice to be playing and competing at 38 because most of the others now are in their late 20s or early 30s. I have set myself a target of winning the world title when I’m in my 40s. Tom Watson nearly won the Open at 59,” he added.
