Ronnie O’Sullivan turns 3-6 deficit into 10-7 victory in opposition to Ali Carter at Alexandra Palace to win the Masters for the primary time since 2017; O’Sullivan units up a primary shot in his profession at clear sweep of this season’s Triple Crown occasions at World Championship in April

Ronnie O’Sullivan fought again to defeat Ali Carter and declare a record-extending eighth Masters title to turn into the historic event’s oldest winner, having already been its youngest, in a closely-fought remaining at Alexandra Palace on Sunday.

The ‘Rocket’ trailed Carter 3-6 after the primary body of the deciding night session however upped his recreation when it mattered most to win seven of the ultimate eight frames and safe a 10-7 triumph to assert the Paul Hunter Trophy for the primary time since 2017.

As with the UK Championship, which he received for an eighth time in December, the 48-year-old O’Sullivan is now the oldest and youngest winner of the Masters event.

His newest triumph comes 29 years after his first in 1995, when he was 19.

“I don’t know how I’ve won this tournament, to be honest with you,” O’Sullivan instructed the BBC.

“I’ve just dug deep. I’ve tried to play with a bit of freedom and then tonight I just thought try to keep Ali honest and if he’s going to win it he’s going to have to scrape me off the table.

“I simply wished to see if he had it on the finish.”

Significantly, the victory additionally means O’Sullivan has received the primary two Triple Crown occasions of the season for the primary time, with the World Championship to return from April 20.

Only Steve Davis (1987-88), Stephen Hendry (1994-95, 1995-96) and Mark Williams (2002-03) have received all three Triple Crown occasions in the identical marketing campaign.

Tied on seven world titles with Hendry since 2022, O’Sullivan additionally has a second likelihood to set a brand new outright file of eight crowns.

Carter’s early management fades as relentless Ronnie races again

For the 44-year-old Carter, the Sunday night turnaround meant his lengthy hoodoo in matches in opposition to countryman O’Sullivan continued.

The Englishman has now solely overwhelmed the seven-time champion as soon as in 19 conferences, with the sequence having already included two losses in World Championship finals (2008 and 2012) earlier than Sunday’s showpiece.

Carter recorded three century breaks within the remaining, together with a formidable 127 within the one body he did win within the night session, to set a brand new landmark of 9 centuries total throughout the Masters event, another than O’Sullivan’s earlier file.

But that spectacular feat will probably show scant fast consolation as Carter’s anticipate a primary win in a Triple Crown event continues, 4 years after he additionally surrendered a mid-match lead within the remaining at Allly Pally in opposition to Stuart Bingham.

Having already overwhelmed three former world and Masters champions in his matches on the best way to the ultimate – together with defending title holder Judd Trump within the quarters – Carter regarded assured from the off in opposition to O’Sullivan.

Although his opponent received the opening body, Carter struck his first century break (106) within the second after which went 2-1 up. O’Sullivan levelled issues up once more within the fourth body with a century of his personal (125) however then Carter received three of the subsequent 4 frames to finish the session 5-3 up.

That turned 6-3 at the beginning of the night’s motion however O’Sullivan then took simply 37 minutes to reel off the subsequent three frames and draw the match again degree. And though Carter impressively hit again with a break of 127 to nostril forward once more, he couldn’t maintain that kind even when his opponent made errors and gave him probabilities to return to the desk.