O'Sullivan Crowned Champion of Champions

World Snooker Champion Ronnie O'Sullivan has now also been crowned the 888casino Champion of Champions for the first time, beating fellow Essex pro Stuart Bingham 10-8 in an exciting final at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry. 

Champion of Champions finalists Ronnie O'Sullivan & Stuart Bingham.

Photos courtesy of Monique Limbos, click here for her albums. Click here for all the results from the 888casino Champion of Champions.

World Snooker Champion Ronnie O'Sullivan didn't hit his top form this week at the first ever staging of the 888casino Champion of Champions event at Coventry's Ricoh Arena, but he produced the goods when needed and then edged an exciting final against Stuart Bingham 10-8 to take home the marvellous trophy and the £100,000 first prize.

O'Sullivan just made it through his group final against the in-form Ding Junhui 6-5 in a thrilling encounter before once again being taken to a deciding frame in the semi-finals, this time against Neil Robertson. 

In yesterday's final, it was Premier League champion Bingham who took the early advantage, making two centuries on the way to a 5-4 lead at the end of the first session. Then on it was nip and tuck from both players as they traded frames until Bingham levelled the match once again at 8-8 with a run of 66.

O'Sullivan edged the next on the final red before compiling breaks of 33 and 49 to get him over the line and to be named snooker's first ever Champion of Champions.

This event has shown that there is definitely more demand for bigger, invitational only tournaments where the top players compete against each other in a one-table format. Crowds have been good all week, matches have been exciting and the coverage from ITV4 and commentary team of Clive Everton, Neal Foulds and Alan McManus has been top notch.

With the majority of the big events having a flat, 128-man draw nowadays, having more events similar to this and the Masters would give more virtue to being in the top 16 or winning major tournaments.

Next up on the main tour is the williamhill.com UK Championship, the second major of the season. Television coverage starts on Thursday but the matches begin tomorrow, click here for the draw. 

Want to win a coaching session with John Parrott during January's Masters tournament at Alexandra Palace? Click here for details. 

Ronnie O'Sullivan

888casino Champion of Champions 2013