Ronnie O'Sullivan wins World Seniors Snooker Championship at the Crucible on debut

O'Sullivan - who was making his debut at seniors level in this tournament - compiled five century breaks en route to collecting the £30,000 first prize and adding a new accolade to his bulging career CV.

Less than a fortnight on from losing to fellow 'Class of 92' graduate John Higgins in the last 16 of the world professional championship, O'Sullivan was back in Sheffield for the annual flagship event on the World Seniors Snooker Tour.

This year's Championship was labelled as the best edition ever with an expanded field of 24 players and two tables in operation at the Crucible across the opening three days of action.

As the number four seed, O'Sullivan began his new venture in round two where he dispatched former world champion and practice partner Ken Doherty, 4-1.

Later on the same day, the 50-year-old saw off a former winner of this title, Peter Lines, 4-2 in a high-quality affair during which he top scored with a run of 109.

Returning for semi-finals Saturday - with the iconic venue transformed into a one-table set-up - O'Sullivan won the final three frames to get past two-time ranking event winner Robert Milkins, 7-5.

In a rerun of the 2017 Masters final O'Sullivan faced reigning British Seniors Open champion and number two seed Joe Perry in Sunday's title tie.

Perry had defeated another former winner of this title, and last year's runner-up, Aaron Canavan (4-2) before victories over Matthew Stevens (4-1) in the quarter-finals and Craig Steadman (7-5) in the last four.

The two-session final got off to a rapid start as O'Sullivan secured the opening frame with a break of 103; teasing the possibility of a maximum 147 having potted 10 reds and 10 blacks before failing to get position on the black after potting the 11th red and electing to take the blue instead.

O'Sullivan went bigger in frame two with a 131 before former top 16 star Perry settled in with a run of 45 and a 57 clearance to get on the scoreboard in frame three.

Another century was racked up by O'Sullivan - this time a 113 - before the mid-session interval, and on resumption, he punished a missed pink to middle from his opponent with an 81 to move 4-1 up.

Perry kept in touch with the help of a 67 in the sixth before a dramatic seventh frame that went down to the final black.

After both cueists had made contributions early on, it seemed like O'Sullivan had done enough with a 38 to leave his peer requiring penalty points. But when O'Sullivan didn't escape from a snooker on the final red, Perry could win. The latter then accidentally potted the red whilst attempting to play safe, meaning he needed to pot a tricky black for the points he required - which he did. However, with the colours remaining, he missed the yellow.

Later on, Perry had another chance to steal it, sinking yellow to pink but then missing frame ball black. However, after a passage of play, Perry potted a long black into the yellow pocket to pinch the frame and cut his deficit to just one.

Record 41-time ranking event winner O'Sullivan, though, didn't appear affected by that disappointment, as he pounced on a missed red from Perry in frame eight, crafting a decisive 39 to end the afternoon's play 5-3 in front.

Perry needed a fast start to the evening session and that's what he got when he took the opener with the aid of a 51. However, it would be his last winning frame of the contest.

Efforts of 49, a 129 total clearance, 40 and 49 assisted O'Sullivan to an 8-4 mid-session interval lead before he claimed a scrappy 13th frame and then finishing in style with a 100 - his fifth century of the match.

It has been a lean spell for O’Sullivan on the professional circuit having gone without lifting a trophy for over two years, and his last ranking crown was further back than that in January 2024, but this latest triumph represents the ninth global title of his career following his world under-21 and seven world professional championship glories.

To view the full draw, results, schedule, and other information from the 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship, visit our tournament information centre here.