Ronnie O'Sullivan of England poses with his trophy during the awarding ceremony after the final match against Barry Hawkins of England at 2018 World Snooker Shanghai Masters in Shanghai, east China, Sept. 16, 2018. Ronnie O'Sullivan won by 11-9. (Xinhua/Fan Jun)
Top-seeded Ronnie O'Sullivan was crowned Shanghai Masters champion on Sunday night after an 11-9 win over Barry Hawkins, the seventh seed, to claim his third title in the event.
The winner of the 21-frame final pockets £200,000 of the total prize money of £725,000, making the Shanghai Masters the most lucrative invitational event of the sport's history.
Hawkins potted a century of 125 in the first frame then took the second before O'Sullivan got on the board with an 85 break. The Hawk took the early running by establishing a 3-1 lead at the mid-session.
The defending champion clawed back with two breaks of 93 and 66 and tied up the match at 3-3.
However, Hawkins knocked another century of 132 along with two breaks of 68 and 63 and grabbed three out of the last four frames to take a 6-4 lead at the end of the first session.
In the second session, O'Sullivan dominated the following four frames with a run of 64, 61 (in the twelfth frame), 56 and 113 breaks, and changed the score to 8-6.
The two sank into a seesaw in the next four frames taking two frames each.
The Hawk saved one game point via a 74 break in the nineteenth frame, while the Rocket then got on the board knocking a century of 122 to win the final.
Ronnie O'Sullivan was previously champion in 2017 and 2008.
