Rob nicks victory from jaws of defeat in classic comeback
SNOOKER: DAFABET SCOTTISH OPEN
HAS Snooker ever had a more deserving winner than Neil Robertson after his miraculous comeback victory at the Dafabet Scottish Open?
The past 12 months have been a battle for the former world No.1. Robertson can say that he’s been victorious on all those fronts.
Despite going into the match as strong favourite, the Australian found himself 8-4 down and one frame away from conceding to maiden ranking finalist Cao Yupeng.
But Robertson fought his way back into the match, winning four frames in a row and then holding his nerve in the decider to triumph 9-8 in one of the great finals.
The 2010 world champion was almost tearful post-match, gracious in victory as he talked the crowd through how he’d clawed his way back into the match and lifted the Stephen Hendry Trophy.
“I just thought if my hand’s on the table I’m going to go for a red no matter where it is, and thankfully I got a few and maybe it just put him under pressure,” he said.
“It’s happened to everyone [Cao’s collapse] – even Stephen Hendry’s missed balls under pressure – so Cao can’t be disappointed with how he’s performed.
“For his first final it was an incredible effort and he was the better player today, he really was.
“It’s a fairytale ending, the fact that she [Mille] is getting the better, I’m so proud of her and just thankful I could repay her tonight.”
Cao has played like a man possessed all week, starting with a 147 maximum break and dispatching all challengers that came before him with minimal fuss. He started the final in the same vein going 3-1 up. Breaks of 82, 72 and 70 helped build that lead.
SOME have criticised Cao in Glasgow for an awkward and slow style, but after Saturday’s semifinal Robertson said his opponent could play as he likes, and that’s just what he did.
The former world No.1 got things back to 3-2 but it was a brief respite as Cao kept firing in the half-century breaks.
Cao’s consistency seemed unmatchable as he built a 5-3 lead at the end of the first session, though the 35-year-old showed his mettle with a 132 break in the 10th frame.
Robertson’s occasional brilliance seemed no match as Cao took over once again, building the lead to 8-4 to go within minutes of his first ranking title.
But the pendulum swung and nerves suddenly attacked Cao as he feathered more shots in the would-be decider than he had all match, missing four pots at the title before Robertson prevailed.
Meanwhile, Scotland’s John Higgins has spoken about his disappointment at not reaching a second Dafabet Scottish Open final in a row after his defeat to Robertson on Saturday.
The ‘Wizard of Wishaw’ lost out to the Cambridge-based potter 6-3, and conceded that his opponent was stronger on the night.
“The better man won out there,” said Higgins. “It was 6-3 and it felt like a 6-0 or a 6-1 out there, he was a l ot more dominant.
“I’m disappointed but he totally outplayed me.
“I’ve always rated him as such a great player and he always plays like that against me and against most people anyway – he’s a top player.
“There was no way I deserved anything other than the loss.
“I’ll have a couple of weeks off and then I’ll come back.”