Ronnie O'Sullivan ended a two-year wait for a major televised ranking title with a 9-7 win over Stephen Maguire to be crowned Partypoker.net German Masters champion in Berlin last night.

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A bumper Berlin crowd saw three-time world champion O'Sullivan come from 6-3 down to win six of the last seven frames and take the title and 50,000 Euro top prize.

Having come from behind in two of his matches en route to the final, The Rocket once again showcased his new-found mental strength along with his undoubted ability, re-enforcing his status as one of the game's greats.

The final began in sensational fashion with four consecutive centuries between the pair and finished with nail-biting drama as O'Sullivan won the last frame on the colours to secure his first full ranking title since the Shanghai Masters in September 2009.

Coming into the tournament, O'Sullivan was in serious peril of dropping out of the world's top 16, facing the prospect of having to qualify for major events in the future, including the World Championship in April, raising the unthinkable prospect of snooker's most naturally gifted player not appearing at the Crucible.

Despite the win, he is still not 100 per cent certain of his top 16 spot, but will go to Newport for the Welsh Open in a much safer position and with renwed faith in his capacity to thrive under tough conditions.

Former UK Champion Maguire was also seeking to end a long drought without a full ranking title, but let a 6-3 slip through failure to take chances at the crucial moments.

Maguire had the upper hand going into the evening session, leading 5-3 following a sensational first session.

The Scot extended his lead immeadiately after the break courtesy of runs of 46 and 69. He was first among the balls in the next frame but ran out of position on 40 and played safe.

He later attempted a difficult red to a centre pocket but missed it, handing his opponent a lifeline. O'Sullivan took it with both hands with an 89 clearance and proceeded to win the next frame with a 54 to pull within one at 6-5.

In frame 12 Maguire made 52 before again losing position, but after Ronnie made a rare mistake, Maguire again failed to convert his chance and was made to pay at the second time of asking when allowing Ronnie among the balls following a poor escape from a snooker to level the match at 6-6.

The Rocket showed a rare sign of emotion, punching the air before leaving the arena for the mid-session interval.

He came out firing straight after the break, moving into the lead for the first time since the opening frame courtesy of a routine 67 break.

In the 14th, O'Sullivan missed a red sat on 43, and Maguire looked to have the frame at his mercy until he failed to split a cluster, missing the pot and allowing O'Sullivan in again to to move within one of victory at 8-6.

Chigwell ace O'Sullivan looked to be cruising to the title in the next frame but with the reds wide open, missed a cut on the black while on 43. Maguire refused to lie down and produced a much-needed break of 82 to keep his hopes alive.

O'Sullivan seized the first potting opportunity in the next and despite surviving a brief spell at the table from his opponent, he returned to a fluke a snooker.

He moved further into the lead but amazingly went in-off when attempting to escape a snooker on the blue. Maguire then squandered a long blue, leaving the Englishman to finally close out the title from the chance that followed.
 
"It was a fantastic match and a brilliant atmosphere," said O'Sullivan, whose celebration at the end of the match showed just how much it meant to him. "I had been thinking about whether I would ever win another ranking title.

"I was 4-0 down in the first round but won that and ended up getting a victory. I'm still not sure of my top 16 place but for now I can enjoy this one. It's a great moment, regardless of whether I will be in Sheffield."

"If I decide not to play as much next season, at least I have shown that I can go out at the top, no one will be able to say that I gave up because I wasn't good enough," added the 36-year-old.

A dejected Maguire said: "Losing the three frames to go from 6-3 to 6-6, I felt like I threw it away. He shouldn't have been involved in the match, I should have finished it. This game will bite you if you don't punish your opponent.

"I played well all week, which was unexpected, and it's nice to be competing again. I feel as if someone will have to play well to beat me, or I will have to throw it away. I've beaten John Higgins 5-0 and Shaun Murphy 6-0 so I must be doing something right. But I'm still not happy just getting to the final."
 
The Semi-Finals and final were watched by record crowds of 2,500 inside the Tempodrom, with further encouraging signs that the game is reaching a new European audience.

The snooker tour moves back to Crondon Park this week as the Championship League resumes.