Magnificent Seven: A closer look at Ronnie O’Sullivan’s world title successes

Ronnie O’Sullivan’s World Snooker Championship win over Judd Trump hauled him level with Stephen Hendry’s record of seven Crucible titles.

Here, the PA news agency takes a closer look at O’Sullivan’s reign.

2001: O’Sullivan cruised into the last four with comfortable wins over Andy Hicks, Dave Harrold and Peter Ebdon, before dispatching Joe Swail 17-11 in the semi-final. In the final, the 25-year-old led from the front to beat John Higgins 18-14.

2004: O’Sullivan reached the final by beating Hendry 17-4 in the last four – the biggest margin in the tournament’s history. He lost the first five frames of his final against Graeme Dott but won 18 of the next 21 to claim his second title.

2008: O’Sullivan became only the third player, after Hendry and Steve Davis, to win three or more Crucible world titles after easing past Ali Carter 18-8. En route, he once again humiliated Hendry with a 17-6 semi-final display that the Scot called the greatest he had ever seen.

2012: Having been run close in a 13-10 last-eight win over Neil Robertson, O’Sullivan earned a second Crucible final against Carter, whom he beat 18-11 to become a four-time world champion.

2013: O’Sullivan returned as defending champion having not played a competitive match all season. But he showed few ill effects as he cruised into the final, beating Trump 17-11 in the last four before easing past Barry Hawkins 18-10.

2020: In a tournament mostly played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic, O’Sullivan battled past Ding Junhui and Mark Williams before winning the last three frames to clinch an epic semi-final win over Mark Selby. In the final, he cruised past Kyren Wilson 18-8 for his sixth title.

2022: O’Sullivan proved a cut above his competition for the duration of the 2022 Championship, seldom being troubled throughout the tournament and securing the crown with an 18-13 victory over Trump.