In our exclusive Q&A, the 2015 Betway UK Championship winner reflects on his triumph and brilliant 147 at the York Barbican
For the second time in three years, Neil Robertson is the UK Championship winner.
The Australian defeated China’s Liang Wenbo 10-5 in Sunday’s final to become only the eighth player in history to win snooker’s second most prestigious title multiple times.
Robertson did so stylishly, too, making the first ever maximum break in the final of a Triple Crown event – and third of his career – in the sixth frame of the match.
Having received the trophy, fulfilled his media obligations and chatted with fans, an at-ease Robertson spoke to the Betway Insider about his win, how the crowd helped his 147 and building his legacy in the sport.
Where does this rank in your list of achievements?
NR: The last couple of weeks, winning the Champions of Champions, coming here to the UK and winning this title, making a 147 in the final, it seriously doesn’t get any better than that.
I’ve achieved an awful lot in the game, but to have the combination of the 147 and the crowd is right up there with the best of my achievements for sure.
The atmosphere during the 147 was a mixture between trepidation and excitement. As the person playing the shots, what are you thinking?
NR: The crowd get right behind you and you’re trying so hard, obviously for yourself but you don’t want to let them down, either.
Some people will never see a 147 live, so to be able to do that was incredible.
When I potted the black to get on to the yellow, the crowd lifted me up off my feet, so to be able to achieve that so they could all see a 147 is really special.
After your semi-final, you spoke about the importance of staying calm. After the maxiumum, though, there was a release of emotion. Can you describe that rush?
NR: I had no idea what I was going to do. I really don’t know. Especially the fact that it wasn’t so straightforward.
For the black, the white was on the side cushion – really a pressure shot – and when I’ve done it, there’s so much relief. The crowd just bring that out of you – it was unbelievable.
It was really nice of Liang to come over to me the way he did as well – a really special moment.
Robertson’s son, Alexander, comes over to his dad. “You’re really good at snooker,” he tells him. “Thank you, mate,” Robertson replies.
This was the first UK Championship final to be contested between overseas players. How significant is that?
NR: It’s brilliant for the worldwide coverage of the tournament – so many millions in China would have been watching this event, so it’s just brilliant.
The only winner throughout this week is snooker. And you guys (Betway) as well.
Building your legacy is something you have discussed and this win is another step towards that. How ambitious are you to become one of the legends of the game?
NR: I’ve won everything there is to win in the game and I’m just trying to win as many as the big titles as I can.
When you’re involved in a conversation, if I could have my name thrown in with the likes of Mark Williams, Ronnie, John Higgins, Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry, that would be absolutely incredible.
I’ve got a long way to go yet, obviously, but I’m trying the best I can.
To be able to secure this event and win it two out of three years – not many people have done that – is a really special achievement as well.
You won the Champions of Champions and now the UK Championship, beating John Higgins and Mark Selby along the way. Have you ever played better than this? And how much better do you think you can be?
NR: I think I’ve shown signs of improvement.
Individual matches I’ve played at the highest of quality, but to do it at a tournament and then back it up again at another tournament is something that’s been slightly missing.
Before, I’ve won a big tournament and then gone a little bit missing, so to be able to win the Champion of Champions and then this – the two biggest events of the season so far – is really, really satisfying.
Probably more satisfying than any period of my career, especially with the 147 on top of that as well.
In our series with Stephen Hendry, he said there is an opportunity for one player to dominate, winning four or five titles a season. Can you be that player?
NR: I think the days are gone where someone can win four or five tournaments per season, every season.
We’ve had seasons where Ronnie’s won three or four, recently Ding won five, but they’re kind of one-offs.
It’s just so hard these days. Not so much converting the semi-finals and finals into wins, but getting there in the first place.
Like with Liang, I’d have been seeded to play him in the last 32 of this event. He’s got to the final and played as well as any top-four player, so that’s the challenge now.
David Grace, he’s 80 in the world and got to the semis and it’s these kind of guys who make it so difficult to get through every draw.
Snooker’s a game of many different variables. It’s not like tennis where you play a shot and then shot.
There’s so many things that can happen, like the pack splitting open, the run of the balls, luck, bad luck – all these things affect the result of the match, so you’re contending with your opponent and those things as well.
That makes it a really difficult sport to dominate because the standard is so much higher than what it was 10, 15 years ago.
Which is great for the game…
NR: Absolutely.
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