September 18th 2023.
Ronnie O'Sullivan lifted the Shanghai Masters trophy for a fifth time on Sunday and is already planning to give it away. The seven-time world champion defeated John Higgins, Mark Selby and Luca Brecel in a tight final to win the event for the fourth consecutive year.
The Rocket was pleased to pick up the chunky winner's cheque of £210,000, but not so thrilled to add another trophy to his extensive collection. He revealed his plan to give the trophy away to his friend who is opening a club in China, and that he's already 'preparing for death' by getting rid of any snooker memorabilia.
"I always give them away. My mate Paul's got one, I gave one to a kid in the crowd. I'm not really bothered about trophies. I've sold quite a few of them - I don't want any memorabilia left by the time I'm 70 or 80," said O'Sullivan.
The 47-year-old admitted he was not always at his blistering best but his immense quality meant flashes of his peak stuff were enough to get his hands on the trophy. He added that he just tried hard and managed to keep his focus and emotions in check, despite it being a struggle from start to finish.
World champion Brecel had another good week as he continues to cement himself among the very elite of the game. O'Sullivan was not shocked to see him play so well and said he was not surprised by Brecel's success, adding he has an amazing gift to play the game.
The runner-up was awarded a £100,000 prize and paid tribute to his girlfriend Laura for her support. He's looking forward to a very busy schedule ahead for the rest of the year and expressed his gratitude for this life.
It was another successful week for Ronnie O'Sullivan at the Shanghai Masters, and his dedication to the cause certainly paid off. He's now looking to the future and is already getting rid of any snooker memorabilia, preparing for death.
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