'Anything can be possible if you believe in it' -  Antrim's Jordan Brown defeats Rocket to claim fairytale first title

Antrim's Jordan Brown claimed his first title in his first ranking event final

Picture via Eurosport

Antrim's Jordan Brown sealed one of snooker's greatest upsets as he beat six-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan in a final-frame decider to clinch the Welsh Open title at Celtic Manor.

The world number 81, who started the tournament as a 750-1 outsider, held his nerve to clinch a 9-8 win and become the lowest-ranked winner of a ranking title in over a quarter of a century.

A brilliant break of 74 in the decider completed victory for the 33-year-old and completed a spectacular change in fortunes for a player who almost fell off the tour last year after a string of poor results.

Brown had shown a glimpse of the form that would sweep him to the final when he reached his first career quarter-final at the German Masters last month.

But few could have anticipated his week at Celtic Manor, in which he won four consecutive matches in final-frame deciders, culminating in seeing off Mark Selby in the quarter-finals, before sweeping aside Stephen Maguire 6-1 in the last four.

Seemingly impervious to nerves, Brown built a 4-1 lead against O'Sullivan, who only managed to haul back the first session deficit to 5-3 on the back of two consecutive centuries.

Brown, who had scored a century of his own earlier in the match, came under inevitable pressure from the favourite at the start of the concluding session, and breaks of 68 and 61 sent O'Sullivan into the lead for the first time in the match at 6-5.

Unruffled, Brown took the next two to move two frames from victory at 7-6, and although O'Sullivan levelled again, the world champion showed frustration when over-cutting a simple pink in the next, and Brown's brilliant 56 clearance to blue took him within one frame of the title.

Typically, O'Sullivan responded with a 119 clearance to force a decider, but a long red from Brown gave him the first chance in the decider and he brilliantly executed his opportunity.

An emotional Brown was close to tears as he accepted his £70,000 winner's cheque live on Eurosport.

"It's just a privilege and an honour to play Ronnie O'Sullivan.

"I had some dark days in my snooker life, but that's what makes you stronger.

"I was working full-time in a petrol station and five years ago I said to myself 'give it a proper go' and it's paying off now."

Asked how he kept his composure with so much at stake, Brown said: "I knew if I was going to get overawed by Ronnie I wasn't going to win today. I'm playing the balls, playing the table, focused on my own game. That's what I've been doing all week, Just getting used to the big stage.

"Whatever you do, If you want something bad, and you think you can achieve it, never give up, because I think I showed this week anything can be possible if you believe in it."

Asked why he's become an overnight success at the age of 33, Brown said: "It's just all down to hard work. Something just clicked. Couple of months back I gradually started getting better, putting results together and that just gives you confidence. I couldn't have predicted what would happen this week, but it's just great."

As for the £70,000 first prize, Brown said: "It's life-changing, for my personal life. I won't have to worry about a few bills now."

"I'm so happy for him. He's such a lovely guy, and a fantastic player as well," said O'Sullivan.