O'Sullivan returns to scene of "magical" week as snooker's UK Championship begins

Ronnie O’Sullivan has won five World Championships, a record seven Masters’ titles and a joint record six UK Championships in a career total of 33 ranking titles.

He is regarded as the greatest player of his generation, has equalled Stephen Hendry’s record of 18 titles in Triple Crown tournaments and has collected estimated earnings of £10 million.

But it is his maiden win at the UK Championships in 1993 when he downed Hendry 10-6, which made him the youngest ever winner of a ranking tournament, that remains a defining memory in his career.

O’Sullivan will head to next week’s UK Championships in fine form, having reached the final of the Irish Open in Belfast earlier this month.

But he was in reflective mood as he looked ahead to a fortnight in York and the chance to land yet another UK Championship title.

“He said: “It was a major moment being in a final and playing my hero Stephen Hendry and beating my boyhood hero Steve Davis, it was a magical, magical week for me.

“It is such an iconic venue where all the great matches had been played and it was suddenly all happening to me at just 17 years of age.

“When I won it, I couldn’t quite work out how I had done it and I just remember being so relieved and pleased.

“I remember my manager at the time saying the worst it can be is 8-0 and so the pressure is off and so go and enjoy yourself.

“It was a strange motivational talk, but it was so true. I remember at the interval being 6-2 up in a first to ten and thinking I have the chance to be able to win this.

“I never thought I would and I was just waiting for Hendry to spark into life at any moment.

“I managed to get over the line and I just couldn’t believe it.”

Watch the Snooker UK Championship LIVE on Eurosport and Eurosport Player with analysis from Jimmy White and Neal Foulds