Snooker results: Fan Zhengyi beats Ronnie O'Sullivan 10-9 in the European Masters final

The 21-year-old, yet another exciting Chinese talent, held his nerve wonderfully after O'Sullivan had rallied from 8-6 and 9-8 down to force a decider, producing a nerveless, match-winning break of 92 to secure a quite remarkable victory.

Ranked way down at number 80 in the world, a run to the last eight of the German Masters was Fan's best performance of the season prior to this week, but that counted for little at the end of a final that announced the arrival of another Chinese snooker superstar.

Fan told Eurosport afterwards: "My win against Kyren was vital, I gained confidence from that. I took it frame by frame against Ronnie. To even win one frame, I was happy."

Laboured O'Sullivan fails to fire

Despite starting as heavy favourite having glided through the early rounds, O'Sullivan struggled for his usual fluency throughout the match and it was testament to his battling qualities that he was able to stay in the race despite only managing two breaks above fifty all day.

In fact, when a sparkling run of 107 reduced his arrears to 8-7, before he quickly won the next frame to draw level, it appeared the tide had finally turned and that O'Sullivan would pull away in deep stretch just as he had done in the final of the World Grand Prix against Neil Robertson earlier in the campaign.

This time, however, there was to be no famous O'Sullivan finishing kick as Fan continued to stare down pressure pot after pressure pot, regaining the lead with a beautifully composed hand of 82 in frame 17 to put himself within touching distance of title glory.

Again O'Sullivan rallied, more through gritted teeth than his usual sprinkling of magic dust, to take the match to a deciding frame. But when a wickedly-tough long red rattled in the jaws and refused to drop despite flirting promiscuously with the bottom corner pocket, the Rocket bowed his head in disappointment.

O'Sullivan was typically gracious in defeat: "Fan is a fantastic player, brilliant. He played some great safety, great break building, amazing pots, good under pressure.

"He was the better player all day. I just tried to make a game of it. He deserved his victory."

Fan continues Chinese winning spree

With the balls set fair and the black on its spot, Fan was presented with a golden opportunity to cross the winning line, one he grasped with both hands and with such ease and panache it seems highly likely this won't be the last time he is the last man standing at the end of a major tournament.

With Zhao Xintong having won two major prizes himself this season, the Chinese domination is slowly but surely coming to pass, and not even the mighty O'Sullivan was able to stop its march in Milton Keynes.