Ronnie praised his mother for her support

"He won't show it but I know exactly how he will be feeling - I can't describe just how good the feeling is but it makes all the tough days seem a million miles away.

"We have been through some hard times but this makes it all worth it.

"It is a special moment for me and the whole family. They know how much it means to me because snooker is in my blood.

"They see the pain that I go through and they are a tremendous help - I'd like to think this win repays them."

'Bottle'

O'Sullivan, normally a cool customer under pressure, added that he was very close to cracking under the strain in the final few frames.

And he heaped praise on Higgins, claiming he was probably a better all-round player than himself.

"I had to play well to beat John. All through the tournament he has scored heavily and it took a huge effort to beat him," said O'Sullivan, who is now ranked second in the world.