Fans’ favourite Ronnie O’Sullivan produced a sublime comeback to beat Judd Trump on the last black to knock him out of the Tour Championship.

The 43-year-old reached the final in Llandudno after more heroics that had the fans on their feet on Thursday night.

Trump had led 6-2 after the first session and it looked like he had the match in the bag at that point. However, he only managed to win three more frames after O’Sullivan took control.

Trump made a break of 50 in the last frame but he was soon pegged back and it call came down to the black ball.

O’Sullivan, 4.00 to win the World Championship, was never ahead until the last ball and Thursday’s success was his first win of the season over Trump, who had defeated him in finals at the Northern Ireland Open and the Masters.

‘Rocket’ is now just one match away from equalling Stephen Hendry’s record of 36 ranking event titles. He is 1.36 to win the event and if he does, O’Sullivan will return to the top of the world rankings.

Speaking after the match, he told World Snooker: “I went out there with a different mindset tonight and I just felt relaxed. I was enjoying it and playing each frame and each ball as it came.

“I’m not driven by records and I’m glad I’m not. You take the beauty out of the game if you do that, then it all becomes about statistics. I’d trade every ranking point that I have made and every bit of prize money for the experiences and the highs I have had from playing this game since I was a kid.

“There are very few people that have been the best in the world and the greatest at what they do. I feel like I am in that bracket. There are 8 billion people on this planet. How many can say they are the greatest at what they do? For me I have had the ultimate experience of being the king of my sport and I am still fighting and still punching, I’m proud of that.”