Ronnie O’Sullivan shows true colours to BBC commentator in World Seniors Championship win | Other | Sport

Ronnie O’Sullivan showed his class with a message to fellow snooker ace Joe Perry just moments after clinching the World Seniors Snooker Championship at the Crucible. Changes to the rules had allowed O’Sullivan to compete in the competition for the first time, taking place just days after the conclusion of the World Championship at the same venue.

O’Sullivan was paired up against Joe Perry in the final, with the Rocket thumping the Englishman 10-4. With seven world titles to his name, the seniors triumph marked the eighth time O’Sullivan had lifted a title in the world-famous theatre, with fans packing out the venue to catch a glimpse of him in full flow.

However, it was after taking the win that O’Sullivan was full of praise for Perry, with the seven-time world champion claiming his opponent could still cut it at the highest level. Speaking to Channel 5, he said: “This has been a tough tournament to win.

“Every match I played felt hard. I know it might not have looked it. But these guys are experienced competitors. I knew that in some of the games, I had to really dig deep.

“I didn’t expect I would have to. So, it’s been a great week. Joe, if you wanted to still play on the Tour, you could still compete at the later stages of tournaments. But he’s enjoying his career, working for the BBC. He’s been a great servant to the sport.”

After turning professional in the early 1990s, Perry reached a career high of eighth and made close to 400 century breaks during his time on tour. He lifted two ranking titles, the 2015 Players Tour Championship Finals and most recently, the 2022 Welsh Open.

Perry retired from the tour after the 2025 World Championship, but has been a regular on the seniors circuit since. In December 2025, the 51-year-old won the British Seniors Open, beating the likes of Stuart Bingham, Matthew Stevens and Jimmy White en route.

O’Sullivan continued his praise for Perry on social media, writing on X: “Great to be back in the winners circle… another world title. Amazing turnout from the fans. @JoePerry class act, should still be on tour. Thanks to @PlutoTV, @jenningsbetinfo, @Liberwincloth, @RiyadhSeason, and Bernie (Jason) who built the tour @Snookerlegends.”