"That one hit me hard" Ronnie O'Sullivan reveals painful snooker moment he'd turn back the clock on

Widely regarded as the sport’s greatest player of all-time, O’Sullivan has a record 23 Triple Crown titles to his name, but it was in one of these fabled events where the Englishman experienced one of his sorest defeats.

Whilst helping launch Pluto Snooker 900 - the ‘world’s first’ dedicated, 24/7 snooker channel - O’Sullivan was asked which moment from his career would he change, if he could.

‘The Rocket’ said: “The one moment I think I'd like to change in my career...people probably think it's an obvious one, when I walked out against Stephen Hendry (at the 2006 UK Championship), but it wasn't that one because I wasn't playing great then and I wasn't in a good place.

“The one moment I really would like to change, when I played (John) Higgins in the final of the Masters. I think I was 60 up in the last frame and I had a couple of chances and I just think now I would play the shot differently or I would probably be a bit more calmer under pressure. I think I got a bit tight, a bit quick, and Higgins cleared up.”

The title match in question took place in 2006 at the Wembley Conference Centre in London, the final time the iconic venue held snooker’s most prestigious invitational event before the Wembley Arena, and then later the Alexandra Palace hosted the tournament elsewhere in the capital city.

O'Sullivan went into that year's edition as the defending champion. In 2005, he defeated Higgins 10-3 in the deciding fixture to claim his second Masters crown, a decade on from his first when he also denied Higgins - in an all-teen final - 9-3.

For the third time, the 'Class of 92' members made it through their respective halves of the draw to set up another blockbuster final dance.

Title holder O'Sullivan got off to a brilliant start, making breaks of 139 and 138 in successive frames as he built a 3-0 lead. But Higgins battled back, stringing together five frames to finish the afternoon session 5-3 up.

On resumption a few hours later, O'Sullivan restored parity at 5-5, 7-7 and 8-8 before reaching the hill first at 9-8 up, although Higgins took frame 18 to force the epic contest all the way. Before the decider, BBC commentator Clive Everton described it as "sporting theatre at its best", but the most pulsating drama was still to come.

In the final frame, O'Sullivan beautifully sank a long distance red into the green pocket, got into the pack of reds early, and carved himself out a great opportunity to win it in one visit.

However, whilst on a break of 60, O'Sullivan went slightly out of position on a red and missed it when trying to cut it into the yellow pocket. With six reds remaining, Higgins returned to the table but missed a long pot, and then O'Sullivan did likewise - although it would end up being his last contribution of the match.

One of the most famous shots in professional snooker history, Higgins began his response by dropping in his opening red, pocket weight, into a middle - the ball finding gravity with seemingly its last roll.

The Scot then went on to produce a magical dish of 64, securing his second Masters title on the final black.

John Virgo in the commentary box described it as "one of the most remarkable clearances ever seen".

During the trophy presentation and post-match interview immediately after the final, O'Sullivan was visibly disappointed with what had just happened, but he was gracious, and even humorous in defeat.

He said: "It's been a great tournament and it's just been finished off with a great clearance and give all credit to John, he's played better all day and I just hung in there and I'm pleased I made a game of it, but he's a great champion, and he's a lucky b*st*rd".

O’Sullivan would return to the Masters the following year and reclaim the title, and go on to capture further triumphs in 2009, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2024. Eight victories in total, titles in four different decades; the most decorated Masters champion, ever.

The narrow loss to Higgins in 2006, though, is still the moment O’Sullivan would most like to turn the snooker clock back on.

Again, reflecting on that memorable night, O’Sullivan revealed: “Most losses I take pretty well because it's part and parcel of being a snooker player, you can't win them all. But that one hit me hard. I didn't recover well from that one.”