Neil Robertson thrashed Chris Wakelin 6-1 to make the final of a ranking event for the first time in over two years, at the BetVictor English Open in Brentwood.
The Australian last appeared in a ranking title match at the 2022 Tour Championship, where he beat John Higgins 10-9 in an epic contest. In the following years Robertson has struggled to produce his best snooker and has slipped to 26th in the world.
However, tomorrow marks an opportunity for him to return to the world’s elite tier and dislodge Higgins, who has occupied the world’s top 16 since 1995. A win for Robertson would see him move to 15th in the world and knock Higgins down to 17th.
Robertson has been showing signs of a return to his best after a run to the quarter-finals of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters and wins over the likes of Shaun Murphy and Barry Hawkins this week.
Melbourne's Robertson now faces China’s Wu Yize tomorrow over the best of 17 frames with the Steve Davis Trophy and a top prize of £100,000 on the line.
The pair first met at the 2023 World Championship, where Robertson stormed to a 10-3 win. However, they’ve met twice since, with each player registering a win.
The first frame this evening went the way of Robertson on the black and he then fired in 92 in the second to move 2-0 ahead. Wakelin reduced his arrears with a break of 82 in the third, but it was Robertson who took the fourth to lead 3-1 at the mid-session.
When play resumed it was the Thunder from Down Under who coasted to victory, winning the next three on the bounce to reach 37th ranking event final of his career.
“It’s been quite a while. It doesn’t feel like two years since I’ve been in a final. There’s been a lot of hard work and I set out to have some good targets this year. I’ve changed my day-to-day routine and been super focussed every day. That has been key,” said 23-time ranking event winner Robertson.
“I am back to my best and better. I’ve added a new arsenal to my game with the safety. I’ve really developed a lot the last couple of months. I’ve been working really hard.
“I said after I played Wu in the World Championship that he would have a mega future ahead. That has proved to be the case. He made a semi-final last season and has had some really good wins this week. It is really nice to have an overseas final between Australia and China.”