Neil Robertson believes improvements in his safety department and mindset are helping him return to form this season.
The Australian has suffered a nightmare couple of campaigns on the main tour, a dismal run of form that concluded with him losing his top 16 membership.
Robertson made only one appearance in the quarter-finals or better of a ranking event during the 2023/24 term – reaching the last four of the World Open.
But a nice run at the recent Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters saw the 42 year-old reach the quarter-finals in Riyadh, and he is one win away from matching that at the English Open this week.
Robertson beat Shaun Murphy 4-1 on Wednesday to set up a last-16 tie against Ross Muir at the Brentwood Leisure Centre.
“The most pleasing side was the safety aspect of my game,” Neil Robertson, currently world ranked number 26, told the World Snooker Tour.
“I’ve got back to having a lot of pride in my safety and actually enjoying the safety duels, trying to force chances. Trying to put players in trouble.”
“I think last year I was probably getting picked off a lot in matches, where I was playing thick safeties and sending reds over the hole.
“Maybe I was going for some long ones that I shouldn’t have been. I was trying to force perfect snooker.
“Today was a great example where the conditions didn’t allow for great scoring snooker, my safety was absolutely brilliant.
“Last year, I wasn’t in the best place for a few different reasons. It didn’t really allow me to confront the issue head on with my form.
“I think I talked a good game and tried to be as positive as I could. I worked really hard last year, but I wasn’t really looking forward to the matches, the tournaments, the travelling.
“This year is a completely different mindset where I can’t wait to play. When you’re in that mode, when you get out there and you’re in the zone, you don’t really care what your ranking is.
“You’re just looking forward to playing matches. I’m fully aware of where I’m ranked, but there’s nothing I can do about that now.
“I just need to keep playing matches and see where it leads up. That’s the main thing, I’m enjoying the game again.
“I’ve got a lot of pride in my safety game, which I’ve been really pleased with here and in Saudi.”
Defending champion Judd Trump, meanwhile, is among the other marquee names who are still challenging for the Steve Davis Trophy in 2024.
Trump, who has lost only one match so far this season, will face Fan Zhengyi in the next round as he continues his chase for a third piece of silverware in as many months.
World champion Kyren Wilson, world number three Mark Allen, and two-time former English Open champion Mark Selby are also still in the hunt for the £100,000 top prize.
Allen entertains John Higgins in arguably the tie of the next round, while Wilson and Selby face Barry Hawkins and Si Jiahui respectively.
There are opportunities elsewhere for some less familiar names to challenge at the business end of this week’s ranking event from the Home Nations series.
Chris Wakelin is the only other player with experience of winning a ranking tournament, the former Shoot Out champion in action next against Pang Junxu.
He Guoqiang and Ishpreet Singh Chadha clash while Wu Yize meets Ben Woollaston in two other somewhat surprising ties at this stage.
By the end of Thursday’s play, the eight quarter-finalists in this year’s English Open will be known.
Thursday’s English Open schedule
Round of 16
1pm UTC+1
Mark Selby vs Si Jiahui
Wu Yize vs Ben Woollaston
Following 1pm games
Judd Trump vs Fan Zhengyi
Ishpreet Singh Chadha vs He Guoqiang
7pm UTC+1
Mark Allen vs John Higgins
Neil Robertson vs Ross Muir
Following 7pm games
Barry Hawkins vs Kyren Wilson
Chris Wakelin vs Pang Junxu
Click here to view the full draw.
Featured photo credit: WST
