O'Sullivan thrashed Higgins 6–0 in the John Virgo Trophy final
British sports media and specialist snooker outlets reported on O’Sullivan’s victory in the final.
The final turned out to be a completely one-sided affair. O'Sullivan swept to a 6-0 victory over Higgins and claimed the trophy in the tournament, which was held as a special event ahead of the World Championship. For Ronnie, this sent a very strong signal ahead of the Crucible, whilst for the John Virgo Trophy itself, it marked a spectacular start right from its inaugural edition.
The tournament was played in the Snooker 900 format. This is a fast-paced version of snooker, where 15 minutes are allotted per frame and there is a strict time limit on each shot. This format suited O’Sullivan’s style perfectly, as he has always felt comfortable in a dynamic, fast-paced game without long pauses.
Ronnie reached the final after a convincing 6-1 victory over Stephen Hendry in the semi-final. After that match, he singled out the Scot for praise, calling him the greatest player he had ever faced. In the other semi-final, John Higgins beat Mark Williams 6-4, meaning the final saw another clash between two members of the famous ‘Class of ’92’.
The John Virgo Trophy itself was organised for the first time. The tournament was dedicated to the memory of John Virgo – a former professional player, winner of the 1979 UK Championship and one of the BBC’s most famous commentators. Virgo passed away in February 2026, and the new trophy was an attempt to honour one of the most recognisable figures in modern snooker.
The competition took place at the Goffs Arena in County Kildare – a venue well known to fans of old-school Irish snooker. That is why, from the very start, the tournament was presented not only as an exhibition event in the Snooker 900 format, but also as an occasion with a distinct nostalgic undertone.
The victory over Higgins makes O’Sullivan an even more prominent figure ahead of the World Championship. Although the John Virgo Trophy is not a ranking tournament, a 6-0 whitewash against an opponent of this calibre still looks like a very convincing warm-up ahead of the season’s main event.
As a reminder, new reports have emerged in the sports media that Chelsea midfielder Mykhailo Mudryk has allegedly filed a lawsuit against the UAF and the national team’s physiotherapist Ivan Porobii in connection with a doping case. However, there has been no official confirmation of this from the player himself or the association as yet, and Mudryk has previously denied reports of a lawsuit against the UAF.
