The victory comes 30 years since O'Sullivan first claimed the title, when he beat Stephen Hendry 10-6 in 1993. He had most recently lifted the trophy in 2018 before this year.

The 47-year-old adds the 2023 title to previous wins in 1993, 1997, 2001, 2007, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018. Ding suffered a second successive final defeat, having fallen 10-7 to Mark Allen last year. He remains a three-time UK Championship winner (2005, 2009, 2019).

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O'Sullivan told BBC Sport: "He's played fantastic all week, I've been watching all his games and his cue ball control is the best ever - he's never out of position, it's like watching a computer.

"It's a pleasure to play Ding, he's such a good man - he was a boy when I first started playing him but he's a man now, a father, a credit to China, I call him the Godfather of Chinese snooker, he paved the way for everybody else to believe they could come here and do it.

"He's a massive inspiration to all snooker players - I'm a massive fan of his and it's an honour to play him in the final. I know there are probably millions and millions of people watching in China so for me it is a fantastic experience and the crowd here have been fantastic all week, I love playing here."

"It's been a very good week for me," Ding Junhui said. "I knew it was going to be tough tonight.

"I like that I've played like this during this week, it's very cool. I really thank the fans for their support every game, I love it here."

Hauled back from 4-1 and 7-5 leads by Ding, who like O'Sullivan won his first UK title as a teenager in 2005, the world number one dug deep when it mattered and consecutive breaks of 100 and 74 set him up for his final flourish.

It was an admirable effort from the Chinese player, who had clambered off his sick bed to sink defending champion Allen on the opening day having seriously considered withdrawing from the tournament.

But ultimately O'Sullivan, who had seldom been required to find his best form during his journey through the tournament, had just enough to leave Ding contemplating a second consecutive final defeat.

Ding had clawed back to level at 4-4 at the end of an absorbing opening session, after a series of costly errors gifted O'Sullivan the early advantage.

Three times the 36-year-old blew early frame-winning opportunities to fall 3-0 then 4-1 behind before belatedly stirring to reel off three frames in a row including breaks of 114 and 70.

O'Sullivan wasted no time in re-establishing his lead in the first frame of the evening with a break of 84, but there was a hint of impatience in the next when he opted not to play on despite trailing by 51 and only requiring one snooker.

Ding appeared intent on pressing home his advantage but was punished for taking on some risky long shots in the next two frames, O'Sullivan edging ahead again with breaks of 40 and 87, then emerging from a scrappy spell in the next to reach the interval 7-5 in front.

A hard-earned 58 from Ding brought him back within one frame before a magnificent 104, his second century of the final, pulled him level again.

Anything Ding could do, O'Sullivan could do too, and the momentum swung back in the direction of the world champion in the next frame when he responded with a century of his own, a 100, his first of the final.

A brilliant pink from O'Sullivan set him up to move one frame from victory with a break of 74, and he completed his win in his own irresistible fashion with his second three-figure finish.