Neil Robertson described his 10-9 victory over Ronnie O’Sullivan in the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters final as the greatest triumph of his career, following a sensational and nail-biting contest in Jeddah.
O’Sullivan had earlier made two maximum 147 breaks in his semi-final on Friday, and during the final, he staged an incredible comeback from 7-2 down to 7-7, nearly engineering what could have been one of the most remarkable reversals in a championship final. After briefly taking the lead at 9-8 and missing several key opportunities, Robertson held his nerve to execute a brilliant 87-point clearance in the deciding frame to clinch the title.
“This surpasses winning the World Championship,” Robertson said after lifting the trophy and collecting the £500,000 top prize, the largest payday of his career. He reflected on the challenges of competing against a player of O’Sullivan’s calibre, saying, “I have had to answer a lot of questions like whether I can still beat someone like Ronnie in a final of this magnitude. To beat him here with so much on the line, it’s definitely my best win.”
The victory marked Robertson’s 26th ranking title, moving him level with Mark Williams in sixth place on the all-time list and bringing his total major wins to seven, including the 2010 World Championship, three UK Championships, and two Masters titles. He also moved to third in the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings and topped the one-year list.
Robertson’s journey back to the top has been marked by resilience. Just 16 months ago, he failed to qualify for the World Championship, missing out on the Crucible and dropping well outside the top 16. Recognising the need to rebuild, he enlisted sports psychologist Helen Davis and leaned on support from close friend Joe Perry.
This structured approach, combined with disciplined practice, has allowed Robertson to restore his confidence, refine his game, and achieve consistent results, including wins at the English Open and World Grand Prix.
The final itself was a rollercoaster. Trailing 6-2 after the first session, Robertson battled through O’Sullivan’s scoring surges, including total clearances of 139, 97, and 89. Each frame swung between the players, with O’Sullivan briefly taking the lead in the 17th and 18th frames.
Robertson’s composure, combined with precise long potting and break-building, ultimately secured the match in the decider. Reflecting on the win, he said, “It feels great to be back in this position. Hopefully my story will inspire younger generations because you should never give up.”
O’Sullivan, gracious in defeat, acknowledged Robertson’s performance, stating, “Neil deserved to win; he was the better player. I just tried to hang on and make a game of it.” The two-time world champion also noted his own satisfaction with his comeback efforts, despite narrowly missing out on a record 42nd ranking title and 24th major. The match will be remembered as one of the most thrilling finals in recent snooker history.
