Neil Robertson reels off five straight frames to seal sensational Masters win over John Higgins from 5-1 down

Neil Robertson looked down and out when John Higgins' fifth successive half century put the Scot within one frame of the quarter-finals at Alexandra Palace. But Robertson, who was not originally meant to participate in the tournament until Ronnie O'Sullivan's withdrawal, found his rhythm and completed a dramatic five-frame comeback. Robertson will face Shaun Murphy in the next round.

'Hendry won't give me stick about that one!' - Robertson reflects on 'unbelievable' comeback

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Neil Robertson fought back from the brink to seal a sensational 6-5 win over John Higgins, who surrendered a 5-1 lead in the first round of the Masters.

The Australian was staring down the barrel with his opponent one away from securing his safe passage through to the quarter-finals at Alexandra Palace.

Until Ronnie O'Sullivan's shock withdrawal on Friday, Robertson was due to watch the match from the comfort of his home, but was the lucky recipient of a late call-up.

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And while fans inside the Palace would have been disappointed at missing the chance to watch The Rocket, they were treated to an incredible spectacle nonetheless.

"I don't think Stephen Hendry is going to give me too much stick about that one," quipped Robertson in his post-match interview with Rob Walker.

The 42-year-old was referring to Hendry's complaints about his slow shot time in a video posted on the Scot's YouTube channel.

'He's getting better and better' - Robertson seals superb century as comeback gathers pace

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"Neil Robertson playing zero-risk snooker, playing at 28-29 seconds a shot when his best is 22-23," said Hendry.

"I’ve spoken to Neil Robertson about it on text. He told me the reasons why he was doing it, which is fair enough. But I said to him he’s a far better player when he’s not."

Robertson's average shot time against Higgins was a shade over 26s, and the match was anything but boring.

A tight opening frame went the way of Robertson, as both players struggled for rhythm, but from that point onwards, Higgins dominantly surged towards the finish line.

Five consecutive half-century breaks brought the Scot to within touching distance of the final eight, with the Australian managing just 16 points across the quintet of lost frames.

But Robertson, who said he had "nothing to lose" pre-tournament, showed incredible fighting spirit to reel off five frames of his own as he finally found his flow.

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Breaks of 63 and 80 came either side of the first century of the competition, a sublime 118 that tipped the scoreline to 5-4.

The late call-up had firmly wrestled back the momentum, and though the final frame decider contained a smattering of errors, Robertson's break of 57 was enough to complete the turnaround.

"I don't think John did a lot wrong. I played at my absolute best," Robertson said.

"I'm glad I could take my chance with Ronnie dropping out and give the crowd something to cheer today.

"I dont think many people have seen what I can do. That match shows how well I can play."

If the Australian is to make it a hat-trick of Masters wins this January, he can ill-afford a slow start when he faces Shaun Murphy in the final eight.

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Murphy had to survive a scare against Gary Wilson in his first-round contest, eventually winning 6-3 in Sunday's evening match.

The 2015 champion raced into a 4-0 lead by the interval, but found himself pegged back to 4-3 as Wilson settled into his first Masters appearance at Alexandra Palace.

But a clutch 103 break in the eighth frame set Murphy on his way to victory.

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