Neil Robertson
Ranking, Snooker Headlines

Neil Robertson: ‘It’s such a prestigious trophy to win’

Neil Robertson scored heavily to reach the final of the World Grand Prix with a 6-3 victory over Mark Selby in Coventry.

The Australian extended his recent winning streak over Selby to five with a mostly assured display that included contributions of 93, 82, 74 (x2), 71, and 67.

After winning the opening two frames, Robertson let the world champion back in and lost the fourth on the black to go into the mid-session interval disappointed at 2-2.

Robertson, who is now the 8/13 favourite at bet365 to win the tournament, took command again after the resumption of play by winning four out of the remaining five frames.

“I thought the performance was really good,” 39 year-old Robertson, who is one step closer to the £100,000 top prize, told the World Snooker Tour while doing his post-match interviews.

“I had a couple of unusual moments in the match where I feathered the white when I looked like going 3-1.”

“Then a couple of frames later I was 4-2 in front and got the spider out. I just flicked the red, which was touching-ball, and bizarrely I actually potted the red that I was going for.

“Mark responded really well with a big century and got it back to 4-3. But I’m really happy with the way I closed out the last two frames and move onto the final.

“The most important thing when you’re playing anyone is to make sure you’re playing the match on your terms, the way you enjoy playing the game. That’s the philosophy I take into any match – it doesn’t matter who you’re playing.

“I don’t think it really affects him too much (losing five in a row), he’s too good a player and mentally probably the strongest player in the game. Sometimes the top players just go on these little rolls against each other.

“I missed a few events and had a bit of a later start than all the other players, so to win the English Open was brilliant and that was my first experience of having big crowds back again.

“The crowds have been good this week and to get back into this final again – it’s such a prestigious trophy to win, it was my first ever trophy that I won in 2006, being the Grand Prix as well.

“I’ve won it three other times since then, so to be going for a fifth is really incredible when you think about it, and it would be nice to do that just before Christmas.”

Robertson, a recent English Open champion, will be able to relax as he awaits his challenger in Sunday’s final, with Ronnie O’Sullivan and Stuart Bingham doing battle in the second semi-final encounter on Saturday evening.

Live coverage continues in the UK and Ireland on ITV4.

Featured photo credit: WST

One Comment

  1. Jamie Brannon

    I’d slightly question Neil when he says that he’s going for his fifth win in this event. The Grand Prix tournament the BBC used to show is a different event to the one currently being broadcast on ITV.

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