O'Sullivan wins third Shanghai Masters snooker title

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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.

Ronnie O'Sullivan targets the cue ball at the final at Shanghai Masters on September 16. /VCG Photo

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.

Barry Hawkins targets the cue ball at the final at Shanghai Masters on September 16. /VCG Photo

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.