Northern Ireland Open 2024: Neil Robertson on 'frustrating' previous campaign and not 'feeling sorry' for himself
Published 25/10/2024 at 07:30 GMT+1
Neil Robertson said he had to take matters into his own hands to revive his form ahead of the 2024/25 snooker campaign. The former world champion has been absent from some key tournaments in the last year, including the 2024 World Championship, but he has returned to action with aplomb, having already picked up the English Open title this season.
Robertson explains 'frustrating' absences from big tournaments amid snooker renaissance
Video credit: TNT Sports
Neil Robertson opened up on a "frustrating" period which saw him miss key tournaments such as the World Championship and Riyadh Season Snooker Championship.
The former world champion suffered a difficult 2023/24 campaign. His one-year ranking for the season slipped as low as No. 88 after missing some key invitational events, including the showcase in Saudi Arabia in March, while also struggling to make a deep run into any ranking events.
The Australian told Eurosport about his preparations for the 2024/25 season, in which he has already claimed the English Open title. Continuing his resurgence, he secured his passage to the quarter-final of the Northern Ireland Open on Thursday.
"Last season in particular because every cut-off to qualify for certain events, some really big invitational events, I was a day out of the cut-off because I had the points defending from winning events," he said.
"It never seemed to stop last year. Missing out on Saudi, I missed the cut-off by a day there, but it’s been frustrating missing out on the big events. But I turned it into a positive.
"Like I’ve talked about with my off-season, working incredibly hard so you can either do two things, keep feeling sorry for yourself or take matters into your own hands and that’s what I’ve been able to do."
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Robertson's undoubted quality was on display as he saw off Oliver Lines for a place in the final eight of the event in Belfast on Thursday.
"I feel as though I can build momentum tournament-to-tournament," he added. "I feel really good.
"When you win a tournament so early in the season it allows you to free-roll into others, you know you’re in good form and you know worst-case scenario that you have won an event, so it’s all down to the preparation and everything I’m putting into each match, so nothing in particular I’m thinking about."
Robertson established a two-frame cushion over Lines before temporarily having his lead cut in half.
But the world No. 16's route to the quarter-final never looked at threat as he went on to claim the following two frames, including a century clearance in the fifth to take victory.
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Robertson clears the table with a century to secure Northern Ireland Open quarter-final spot
Video credit: TNT Sports
The 42-year-old said he had "no complaints" about his performance at the Waterfront Hall.
"I thought it was solid," he added. "I couldn't really fault shot selection at all. I got off to a great start and then Ollie played a series of really good safety shots that had me in trouble.
"The only shots I missed in the match were sort of bridging over other balls and my cue was a lot more elevated than what you want.
"They’re quite tricky shots as well. So no complaints, nothing to worry about. Really happy to knock in the long red and make 100."
The English Open champion will face Pang Junxu for a place in the semi-final on Friday.
Stream the Northern Ireland Open live on Eurosport and discovery+
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