Ronnie O'Sullivan hailed Power Snooker after he walked home with a cheque for £35,000 by beating Ding Junhui in the final of the format's first ever competition in London.
The Rocket raced to victory with an aggregate score of 572-258 as the game's new quickfire format was given its first outing in front of a crowd of 1,700 while being broadcast live on television.
Power Snooker differs greatly from the traditional game. Points, not frames, determine the winner, nine red balls are placed in a diamond rather than the traditional triangle of 15, and players score double points during ‘Powerplays’ and for shots taken from behind the baulk line, in what is know as the ‘Powerzone’.
The emphasis is very much placed on speed too, with each player having only 20 seconds to complete a shot.
O'Sullivan has been one of the biggest advocates of the new format, insisting that the game must move away from its traditional roots in order to survive.
If a departure from the traditional was what founder Rod Gunner wanted then it was certainly achieved at the Indigo2 today.
Bow ties were swapped for bright open-collared shirts as the crowd were openly encouraged to exchange banter with the players, who entered the arena to thumping music while accompanied by glamorous Power Girls and then perched on bar stools as they waited for their turns at the table.
The format was hailed by three-time world champion O'Sullivan after his victory.
‘Snooker has finally entered the 21st century,’ The Rocket declared.
‘I've won a lot of trophies but this is the one I have enjoyed the most.
‘I loved every minute of it. The crowd got involved and there were some interesting matches.
‘Snooker has been waiting for a long time for something like this to come along and now it's here to stay.’
O'Sullivan, who is no stranger to playing quick having scored a maximum 147 in just five minutes and 20 seconds at the 1997 World Championship, was shocked by under-dog Ding as he raced into a 100-point lead after the first rack.
But a 100 break, which brings an added bonus of another 50 points, put the Essex man ahead by 169-151 after the second rack.
The Rocket, who beat Ali Carter and Belgian wonder-boy Luca Brecel to reach the final, then eased to victory with another century break to win the game by over 300 points.
O'Sullivan, who is no stranger to controversy, turned the airwaves blue with a mid-afternoon expletive after his first match, and also found himself at odds with referee Michaela Tabb, who handed the 34-year-old a foul after he was adjudged to have placed the white ball over the baulk line before a break after the third rack.
Gunner was impressed by the popularity of the tournament, which also included Jimmy White, Mark Selby, Shaun Murphy and Neil Robertson.
‘It has been absolutely fantastic,’ Gunner said.
‘It was everything we wanted and the fans seemed to have really enjoyed it. I think it has a future.’
