Australia’s Neil Robertson became the first player from outside the British Isles to win the world snooker championship since Canadian Cliff Thorburn in 1980, when he sealed victory over Graeme Dott in the early hours of yesterday morning.
Resuming the evening session with a 12-10 lead, Robertson went on to beat former champion Dott 18-13 at the Crucible Theatre to claim the title and a check for £250,000 (US$381,000).
“It’s an amazing feeling to be world champion after a Titanic struggle of a match,” a relieved Robertson told reporters.
“The pressure before the final and during the final was absolutely unbelievable because there’s so much at stake,” he said.
However, the final was overshadowed by match-fixing allegations made against last year’s champion John Higgins, which surfaced just hours before the contest got underway.
Reacting to the story, the new world champion said: “It took me by absolute surprise, but I don’t really know enough about it to comment about it.”
Robertson gave his backing to new World Professional Snooker and Billiards Association chairman Barry Hearn, who reacted swiftly to the scandal by suspending Higgins and launching an investigation into the matter.
“I couldn’t be more happy with Barry’s reaction so far. He is a million percent the man to take the game forward,” he said.
The title is part of a double celebration for the 28-year-old as his partner is due to give birth to their first child.
Robertson became the second Australian to lift the title after Horace Lindrum’s victory in 1952.
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