Third world title for peerless O'Sullivan
Monday, 05 May 2008 21:08
Ronnie O'Sullivan wins third world title after 18-8 victory over Ali Carter at Crucible
Ronnie O'Sullivan has won his third world snooker title after beating Ali Carter 18-8 at the Crucible.
The 32-year-old won the two frames he needed in the evening session to wrap up the victory.
O'Sullivan had come into the second day with an 11-5 lead, but the Essex-born potter struggled to show the form he exhibited on Sunday.
He still managed to rattle off breaks of 69 and 71 as his safety game flummoxed Carter.
O'Sullivan increased his lead to seven frames at the start of the afternoon session with a break of 52.
He won a scrappy 18th frame, with a forlorn-looking Carter again failing to take his chances.
Carter, who has lost his last eight meetings against O'Sullivan, reduced his deficit by taking the next frame 64-25.
But O'Sullivan responded with a fluent 71 to move 14-6 ahead. Carter showed some fight by winning two of the next three frames, with breaks of 84 and 71.
In the final frame of the session O'Sullivan moved closer to becoming world champion after a sublime snooker on the yellow, with Carter conceding the frame.
O'Sullivan took 40 minutes in the final session to wrap up victory and join Stephen Hendry and Steve Davis as three-time world championship winners.