Ronnie O'Sullivan makes history with EIGHTH UK Championship
The Scottish Open final between Gary Wilson and Noppon Saengkham on Sunday was briefly interrupted in the sixth frame after a fly buzzed around the table until the referee emphatically took matters into his own hands – literally. Wilson defended his title in a 9-5 victory, but only after an unexpected visitor was spotted in Edinburgh.
Wilson was on his way to what ended up becoming a century break during his exceptionally strong start to the final, leading 4-1 at the time. However, he was forced to break concentration when a buzzing fly interrupted proceedings and was hovering over the table.
Wilson was waiting to take his next shot before referee Marcel Eckardt felt that the delay was doing the tournament no favours, moving quickly to catch the fly in one impressive motion. The official smiled as the Meadowbank Sports Centre crowd cheered his intervention, before play was able to resume once again.
“He hasn’t paid!” joked Wilson as the fly buzzed around the table, much to the delight of those in attendance. Before Eurosport commentator Dave Hendon added: “Yes a fly, there we go… wow what a catch from Marcel Eckardt! He did not expect that to be in his list of duties this morning when he put the white gloves on, but there we go.”
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Wilson was able to recover his composure, however, going on to take the frame with a 105 break. Saengkham struggled in the early stages of the final and although he managed to gather some form and win some late frames, it was not enough before Wilson took his second title in as many years in Edinburgh.
“It was torture,” Wilson admitted as he was desperate to seal his victory. “I don’t think I had any positional play, but I felt like I kept not landing on something nice and I just had to keep chiselling one in and chiselling one in. I was like I don’t care, just pot and pot and you will get there.”
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He compared his journey to Ronnie O’Sullivan’s five-minute 147 in 1997, in that the Rocket always felt disappointed in that stunning feat as he was forced to rush his shots and not be as composed as he is now at the table.
“The road I have taken I have had two finals and lost,” Wilson added. “The third one was last year (2022 Scottish Open win) and was more like playing on instinct. What I am getting at is when Ronnie says he made his maximum of five minutes and eight seconds, he said it was not done properly. That’s kind of how I felt I was playing last year.
“I am not going to knock the achievement I have made, there’s not many who have won more than one. There are many who would love to be a multiple winner and I am very happy and proud about that.”
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