Snooker results: Ronnie O'Sullivan wins Champion of Champions final despite Judd Trump's 147 break

O'Sullivan was winning the coveted title for a fourth time – adding to his victories in 2013, 2014 and 2018 – but he was briefly made to sweat by his opponent who lit up the afternoon session when compiling the seventh 147 maximum break of his professional career, a feat that proved the springboard for a stirring fightback in the middle part of match.

Until then, the final had proved a distinctly one-sided affair as O'Sullivan dominated the early exchanges, only for Trump to burst into life by winning five frames out of six to claw his way from 6-1 down to only 7-6 behind.

In the end, his efforts were to be in vain as O'Sullivan regained the initiative with a stunning run of 124 in frame 14 – his third century of the day – before a loose safety from Trump allowed O'Sullivan to move within a frame of victory as he put together a typically assured hand of 85.

With Trump fast running out of rope, last year's champion snatched at a red early in the sixteenth frame, and O'Sullivan didn't blink as he calmly crossed the winning line with a superb, match-winning break of 81.

Despite Trump's stubborn resistance, he will feel he lost the match in the opening session when allowing O'Sullivan to take control of the contest and build a healthy cushion which ensured he was able to keep Trump at arms length thereafter.

O'Sullivan looked razor sharp throughout, three centuries and six more contributions of over 50 confirming his scoring to be as deadly as ever, and he immediately put Trump on the back foot when racing out of the blocks and reeling off the opening two frames in rapid time.

Trump did manage to edge frame three, but it was one-way traffic for the next four frames as O'Sullivan surged into a 6-1 lead and threatened to bring the final to a premature end.

Trump's brilliant maximum in the very next frame stopped the rot and breathed new life into the match, but O'Sullivan was determined he would not be upstaged.

In finishing with a flourish, he made sure that was not the case, once again confirming himself as the best in the business as all eyes now turn to York and O'Sullivan's bid for an unprecedented eighth UK Championship success.

O'Sullivan told ITV4 afterwards: "Even when I was 6-1 up I never once thought about the lead because I know what Judd is like, he can come out and do what he done, pull me back to 7-6, but I was just pleased how I dug in at the end there.

"I’m not as hungry as probably all the other players are, I’m just happy to be here, I like to compete. I just take every match as it comes, I enjoy being out here and it’s like a holiday for me. Most of the tournaments these days you're playing in front of 30,40 people it's very demotivating."

When interviewer Rob Walker told him he was on a roll after also winning the recent Hong Kong Masters, he brought the house down by adding: "I've been on a roll for 30 years!"

Walker then asked him about the forthcoming UK Championship and he replied: "I've got seven of them, might as well have an eighth."

Trump said: "I'm disappointed with how I played. Ronnie scored heavily all day and it put me under pressure. Well done to him.' And on the 147: 'I thought I'd just go for a maximum and see what happens. It's another thing ticked off the CV."

O'Sullivan dominates first session despite Trump maximum

Judd Trump made a magnificent 147 maximum break, but it is Ronnie O'Sullivan who is in charge of the Champion of Champions final having surged into a 6-3 lead in Bolton.

Trump's magic moment came in frame eight when, having slipped 6-1 behind to a rampant O'Sullivan, the defending champion finally found his touch to compile the seventh maximum break of his career, and only the second in the tournament's history.

The defending had clearly set his sights on the maximum early in the break, turning down a simple pink to the centre pocket in favour of a much more difficult black when the frame was still live and the balls inviting for an O'Sullivan counter.

When the black dropped, Trump had a clear path to the 147 and the job was all but complete when he potted the brown from mid-range and landed perfectly on the blue.

Trump pumped his fist in delight, his first real moment of cheer having until then failed to make his mark on a final that had appeared to be slipping from his grasp, and he breathed further life into the match when claiming the final frame of the afternoon with a run of 96 to reduce his arrears to 6-3.

If the first session finished with a Trump flourish, it was all O'Sullivan in the early exchanges as breaks of 96 and 103 saw him win the opening two frames, before a missed red from O'Sullivan on 52 offered Trump some respite and allowed him to pinch the third frame.

O'Sullivan was unperturbed and reeled off the next four frames as Trump cut a frustrated figure in his chair, but 6-1 soon become 6-3 thanks to his memorable late rally that raises the possibility of a grandstand finish in this evening's concluding session.