O'Sullivan holds off Higgins to win first world title
( 2001-05-08 09:57 ) (7 )

Ronnie O'Sullivan beat John Higgins 18-14 on Monday to win his first Embassy World Championship at the Crucible Theatre.

World number four O'Sullivan, who defeated Andy Hicks, Dave Harold, Peter Ebdon and Joe Swail on his way to the final, was never behind in the final.

He led 10-6 overnight and maintained his four-frame cushion at the end of the afternoon session, when he was 14-10 ahead.

Higgins, the 1999 world champion, claimed the opening frame of the final session after potting a long red.

O'Sullivan won the next two frames to make it 16-11 before Higgins pulled a frame back with a break of 62.

It looked as if a revival could be on the cards when Higgins won frame 29 with an 87 break and led 60-0 in the next. But he missed a red, allowing O'Sullivan to snatch it.

O'Sullivan wasted a chance to secure victory in the following frame when, leading 69-6, he missed an easy red into a centre pocket and Higgins cleared up to take it 71-69.

O'Sullivan sealed victory in the following frame with a break of 80 after Higgins missed a red when leading 45-0.

O'Sullivan is the first English player to win the world title for ten years. Landing snooker's top prize will see him bank a cheque for 250,000 pounds (US$360,100), with 147,000 pounds going to Higgins.