O’Sullivan Top Of The World

Ronnie O’Sullivan has regained the No 1 position in the official world rankings to go with his 888.com World Snooker Championship title.

The Rocket became only the third player to lift the world trophy three times at the Crucible as he beat fellow Essex cueman Ali Carter 18-8 in Sheffield on Monday.

O’Sullivan, 32, becomes the first player ever to hold the official No 1 ranking on three separate occasions, having previously topped the list in 2002/03 and from 2004 to 2006.

“It’s a real buzz to win it. There is no bigger tournament, this is our pinnacle, it’s our greatest stage. I’ve got three now and I would like to win more,” said O’Sullivan, whose previous world titles came in 2001 and 2004.

Stephen Maguire, the only player other than O’Sullivan to win two ranking titles this season, is up to a career high position of No 2. Shaun Murphy stays third while Welsh Open winner Mark Selby completes the top four.

Despite defeat, Carter is into the top eight for the first time in his career as he jumps seven places to No 7, with Ryan Day also moving into that bracket, up eight spots to No 8.

Crucible semi-finalist Joe Perry has regained a place in the top 16, as have Mark King and Royal London Watches Grand Prix champion Marco Fu. Talented Northern Ireland cueman Mark Allen is into the elite for the first time, leaping 13 places FROM No 29.

The four to drop out of the top 16 are Ken Doherty (18), Mark Williams (22), Stephen Lee (26) and Steve Davis (29).

Further down the list, the biggest mover is China’s Liang Wenbo, who enjoyed a giant-killing run to the quarter-finals at Sheffield and rises from No 66 to No 40.