Joe Perry stands in Thailand, Ronnie O`Sullivan sits in UK

Joe Perry wins first career Major Ranking Title aged 40

In a busy week of Snooker in Thailand for the Players Championship Grand Final, Joe Perry, who's enjoying the peak of his 24-year career now - as he won his first Professional title in an Asian Tour last season then won another one in January this year - has now won his first Ranking Title coming from 0(7)3 behind to beat Mark Williams 4-3 in the final. That was a high leveled Final, Williams played well and made a 103 Break in the third frame to lead 3-0, then should have won 4-0 but missed a lot of chances in the fourth frame. Perry won it and made a couple of good breaks to force a decider. Williams then had another chance in the decider but missed a tricky red and Perry never looked back, amazing comeback.
Since Perry became the only player in the Semi Final yet to win a Ranking Event I started to support him, as I always want players starting their winning eras, and it's been good as Michael White also capitalized his first Ranking Title, in India a few weeks ago.
Nobody can argue with Perry deserving the title, he's been an exemplar professional and has been close to win Ranking Titles, as he lost in his both previous final, 2-9 against Stephen Hendry at 2001 European Open and 9-10 against Neil Robertson at last year's Wuxi Classic. So finally the door has opened for him, as he received the £100.000,00 winner's cheque.
Joe Perry of course, was semi-finalist in the World Snooker Championship 2008 and played the Crucible one table set-up in front of the one and only Sheffield crowd, but this title might be there at the Top moment of his life since he turned a professional back in 1991.

In a very different moment than Perry, 39 years old Ronnie O`Sullivan - who's won 5 Triple

Ronnie works hard to get Number One spot

Crown and won his first World Championship while Joe Perry was only reaching his first Ranking Event Final - cited health reasons in a formal withdrawn from the China Open, which starts next Monday, March 30.
The Englishman lover of sport cars, has won the Champion of Champions, UK Championship and finished second place on the new World Grand Prix this season and is not bothered about money or World Ranking - while Perry's ambition is being a Top 10 in the list -, as even he's withdrawn from China, he'll watch from his sofa the tournament which can put him in the Top of the Ranking not even needing to be playing on.
If World Number One Mark Selby don't reach at least Semi-Final in  the China Open, he'll lose points he won by reaching the Final in 2013, because the 2013 China Open suffers a cut-off points this season. So O`Sullivan, who didn't even played the China Open in 2013 and don't have points to defend, will be at the Top (for the first time in 5 years) unless Selby reach to the Semis there.
Understand it better here at the WPBSA website

Ronnie might not be too bothered about the World Ranking, but he won't play the Crucible this year as Reigning Defending Champion of the World, so to be introduced as World Number one is a good commiseration.

Of course if Ronnie gets the Top, it's not only because Selby lost, it's because he deserved, was the best in the last 2 years, and better than Mark, but if he don't get there, it's well done for Selby and a bigger target for Ronnie at the World Championship, which starts Saturday, April 18.

If you don't want to lose any moment of the China Open, be sure you like our Facebook Page, and keep an alert here on the Blog because the Winner of The Crucible Quiz: Greatest Matches will be announced soon here in the blog, once April starts.