Ronnie O’Sullivan has won the Shanghai Masters 2019 after beating Shaun Murphy 11-9 on Sunday in China. O’Sullivan has now won the event four times in total, the last three consecutively.

The challenger gave O’Sullivan a stern test but eventually managed to get on top and pull away at just the right time.

The story might have been different had Murphy built on a promising start that saw him win the opening three frames.

In an unusual first session, O’Sullivan fought back to lead 4-3 but then lost a couple of close frames on the colours to trail again.

A golden opportunity was at the hands of Murphy to establish a 6-4 lead, but O’Sullivan managed to come away from the opening bout of action with patient restored.

The evening session began in similar chaotic fashion, with Murphy unable to pull away despite being given countless opportunities to and O’Sullivan just about hanging on even though his frustrations were coming to the boil.

The pair traded century breaks to suggest that a tight finish was in store for after the final mid-session interval.

But O’Sullivan began to assert himself, gaining form at just the moment similar to how he staged a comeback in both of his quarter-final and semi-final wins against Kyren Wilson and Neil Robertson respectively.

With a run of 15 straight wins, O’Sullivan’s Shanghai Masters victory means that he has not lost in the tournament since 2016.

The first of those glories occurred when the tournament was still a ranking event, but it’s under its current guise that the 43-year-old truly excels.

The fact that O’Sullivan manages to win the Shanghai Masters on his first outing of each season is another impressive feat in itself. Since the beginning of last season, the Englishman has played in a dozen events, reached the final in eight of those, and walked away with silverware on six occasions.

Though Murphy fought gallantly, he’ll surely feel that this was another chance that slipped off his grasp.

The 37-year old’s failure at the Shanghai Masters adds to the six ranking event title deciders in a row that he’s lost in, including in last month’s International Championship when he was denied by Trump.

It will be of great concern for Murphy that every time he gets into the position to etch his name on the trophy, he’s always falling short.

There’s no shame in losing to O’Sullivan, who now prolongs his reign as the sport’s best player with yet another Shanghai Masters victory.

Written by: Imisa Aruorihwo