Age is just a number for Ronnie O’Sullivan after the 39-year-old celebrated his birthday weekend with a fifth UK Snooker Championship success – in heart-stopping fashion.

His young pretender, an equally explosive Judd Trump, nearly launched one of the most spectacular comebacks ever seen on a snooker table from 9-4 down and within one frame of defeat.

Trump, 25, strung together five frames in a row – including two centuries – and seemingly had all the momentum heading into a 19th-frame decider, but one final run of 51 sealed the deal for O’Sullivan.

The UK Championship is where a 17-year-old O’Sullivan won his first ranking title in 1993 and perhaps ominously for the rest of the field, he’s by no means slowing down.

And nor does the Rocket intend to after turning 39 on Friday.

He said: “I’ve given up looking at the history books of snooker because a lot of top players before me have gone off the boil at 31, 32, 33, and haven’t produced their best snooker after that point.

“I’ve had a resurgence working with (sports psychiatrist) Steve Peters and found a bit of form which has helped me a bit more, given me a bit of an appetite for the game. In the early stages of my career I didn’t find that consistency.

“When you find that consistency the game comes easier, so even though I’m 39 I’m making the most of how long it lasts.”

O’Sullivan, whose triumph was his 27th ranking tournament title, stormed to a three-frame due to a combination of typically strong break-building and bad fortune for Trump.

A number of successful long pots ran out of position, but he did fight back to head into the second session at 5-3 down.

By then his confidence seemed to have deserted him completely however and at 9-4 down, rash shot selection and wayward pots suggested he’d given up the ghost.

But the flip switched and the momentum was all with Trump heading into the decider after runs of 120, 127 and 86 – before O’Sullivan pulled it out of the bag.

“I had the hand through most of the match and I lost a little concentration at 5-1, letting him back to 5-3,” he added.

“But from 9-4 he hasn’t missed a ball really, I didn’t get a chance and it happened so quick. At 9-8 I had a good chance but to be honest I was just gone, I felt really nervous because having such a lead, if I lost it from there, the disappointment would have been unbelievable.

“The pressure was just mounting but I managed to get a chance, the balls were nice, and I had to concentrate on hitting solid shots.

“Judd’s a tough opponent, very dynamic and so much cue power and can pot like you wouldn’t believe.”

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