“Shaun played an amazing match against Mark Williams yesterday and I was expecting a really tough game but he didn’t turn up like he did last night," said O'Sullivan.

"That made it a little easier for me but I still had to focus and treat every shot with respect."

Victory in Llandudno was O'Sullivan's fifth ranking title of the season - one more would set a new record - and he's closing in on Stephen Hendry's all-time record of 33.

"It’s fantastic to equal the record – I’m over the moon," he said.