At the World Championship, O'Sullivan showed no signs of this fluctuating form. He defeated Andy Hicks 10–2 in first round, Dave Harold 13–6 in the second, Peter Ebdon 13–6 in the quarter-finals, and Joe Swail 17–11 in the semi-finals to reach his first final after 9 years as a professional. In the final, he faced John Higgins. O'Sullivan established an early lead in the 35-frame final which he never relinquished, and eventually triumphed 18–14 for his first world title (completing his collection of major titles). O'Sullivan dedicated the win to his father. O'Sullivan ended the season by winning the Premier League. After finishing second in the league stage, he defeated Higgins 6–3 in the semi-finals, and Stephen Hendry 9–7 in the final. He was ranked world number 2 by the end of the season.