Robertson Compiles Century of Centuries

Neil Robertson has become the first player to compile 100 century breaks in a single season.

The world no.1 has been riding a wave on intense break building ability for the entire campaign – obliterating the previous record in the process.

When Judd Trump made 61 tons during the 2012/13 season, beating Robertson and Mark Selby’s joint record of 54, pundits thought that was an incredible achievement.

However, it has been dwarfed by an unbelievable year of scoring form the Australian.

Robertson’s tally began in his first match in the very first event of the season – at the Wuxi Classic qualifiers.

As if to set out his ambitions for the upcoming months, The 32 year-old’s first century was a special one, a maximum 147 break against Mohamed Khairy in Gloucester.

Later, Robertson made seven centuries in two matches at the International Championship and easily eclipsed last season’s total by the time the German Masters was played in January.

The relentless scoring dried up a little bit towards the end of the season as a mixture of fatigue, illness and expectation overwhelmed his quest to reach the milestone, so much so that he only made one on his run to the final of the China Open.

Yet, despite needing seven coming into the Crucible, Robertson made four in his opening World Championship encounter with Robbie Williams and added a further brace in his second round victory over Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen.

At the end of that last 16 tie Robertson came agonisingly close to completing the feat but missed a black off the spot on 94 as the pressure reached melting point.

He didn’t have much longer to wait, though, and a break of 101 in his third quarter-final session with Trump sealed the deal.

Still in with a shout of capturing his second world title in less than a week’s time following an incredible comeback 13-11 victory over the 2011 runner-up, Robertson could accumulate even more as the season reaches its thrilling conclusion.

The fact that Ding Junhui holds second place in the standings for this season with 62, which also would have beaten last year’s record, suggests that another groundbreaking year like Robertson’s may be a long time in the waiting.

But if Robertson does maintain this devastating form in among the balls, it may be Stephen Hendry’s 773 all-time record that he has in his sights despite still being more than 400 off that mark.

Four more seasons then!

Either way, this has been a period to remember for the Melbourne man and he deserves all the plaudits in the world for his landmark performance.